The Psychological Symptoms and Their Relationship to the Quality of Life Among Dementia Patients Caregivers.

The study aims to identify psychological symptoms (depression and anxiety) and their relationship to the quality of life among dementia patients' caregivers, and whether there are differences in the level of each of them due to the gender variable. The study follows the correlational approach, with a sample of 174 dementia patients' caregivers. To pursue the analysis, the study uses 3 measurement tools: anxiety, depression, and quality of life. The results show that the level of depression, anxiety, and quality of life among dementia patients' caregivers is moderate. It also finds that there is a positive relationship between anxiety and depression, and there is a negative relationship between quality of life and anxiety and depression. There are no differences in the level of depression and anxiety due to gender, as the study finds female caregivers to have a higher level of quality of life.

Ageing and Mental Health in the Context of Social Isolation in Covid-19 Pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has introduced the world to a new chapter in the last three to four years. The focus of this review is on a significant but often overlooked group and topic that has received limited research attention. Recent studies show that the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is still intense, even around three years later. This article will summarize and discuss the results of 52 studies on anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), fear of loneliness, suicidal ideation, and resilience in the elderly population before and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In addition to detrimental effects, attention is also given to the improved coping abilities and lack of significant psychological distress among the geriatric population when compared to younger age groups. This review will encompass research conducted on both the population of Bangladesh and the global population as a whole.

Common mental health problems and associated factors among recovered COVID-19 patients in rural area: A community-based survey in Bangladesh.

PURPOSE: Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) was announced as being a global pandemic on 11 March, governments from all parts of the world declared a quarantine period, during which people were prohibited from leaving their homes (except for essential activities) to contain the spread of the virus. Since then, the population has faced different levels of restrictions (i.e., mobility, social activities) that limited participation in normal daily routines. Consequently, these restrictions may have adversely changed physical activity, diet, sleep patterns, and screen time or work routine. So, the pandemic has had profound influence on the mental health of the entire societies. As the mental health status of Bangladeshi patients living in rural area that have recovered from COVID-19 has not been previously studied, this gap is addressed through the present investigation focusing on one rural Bangladeshi community. METHODS: A convenience sampling method was employed to recruit participants for this cross-sectional study. Data was gathered by conducting face-to-face interviews with 243 recovered COVID-19 patients (as confirmed by a positive Reverse Transcription PCR test) attending a local primary health care facility center and instructed to consider how they felt in the preceding week. RESULTS: By administering a validated Bengali version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to measure participants' mental health status, we noted that 24% of the sample exhibited depressive symptoms. In addition, 30.9% and 21.8% of the participants experienced stress symptoms and reported anxiety, respectively. Sociodemographic factors such as female sex, lower educational level, living away from family, smaller living accommodations, and lower economic status significantly predicted mental health outcomes in multivariate logistic regressions. CONCLUSION: These results may help health care providers formulate proper mental health interventions and preventive measures to minimize the mental health problems among patients that have recovered from COVID-19.

Social Determinants Among Pregnant Clients With Perinatal Depression, Anxiety, Or Serious Mental Illness.

To characterize co-occurring social determinants of health for clients experiencing perinatal anxiety and depression (perinatal mood and anxiety disorders) or serious mental illness (SMI) in a diverse population receiving prenatal care in a safety-net health system, we conducted a latent class analysis, using data from a social determinants screener in pregnancy for the health system's clients during 2017-20. The sample included clients with positive screens for depression or anxiety or SMI diagnoses. Prenatal clients with a positive screen for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders or SMI comprised 13-30 percent of classes, characterized by more than two co-occurring social determinants (for example, co-occurring socioeconomic and interpersonal factors). The study findings highlight the salience of social determinants among prenatal patients experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorder and SMI and suggest the necessity of consistent screening for both social determinants and perinatal mental health. Policies to address social determinants within and beyond health care settings are critical.

Effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions on psychological distress and health-related quality of life among patients with maintenance hemodialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions on depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for people undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). METHODS: This review used systematic review and meta-analysis as the research design. Nine databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, were searched from the inception to the 8th of July 2023. Two reviewers independently identified randomized controlled trials (RCT) examining the effects of psychoeducational interventions on MHD patients. RESULTS: Fourteen studies involving 1134 MHD patients were included in this review. The results of meta-analyses showed that psychoeducational intervention had significant short-term (< 1 m) (SMD: -0.87, 95% CI: -1.54 to -0.20, p = 0.01, I2 = 91%; 481 participants), and medium-term (1-3 m) (SMD: -0.29, 95% CI: -0.50 to -0.08, p = 0.01, I2 = 49%; 358 participants) on anxiety in MHD patients, but the effects could not be sustained at longer follow-ups. Psychoeducational interventions can also have short-term (< 1 m) (SMD: -0.65, 95% CI: -0.91 to -0.38, p < 0.00001, I2 = 65%; 711 participants) and medium-term (1-3 m) (SMD: -0.42, 95% CI: -0.76 to -0.09, p = 0.01, I2 = 69%; 489 participants) effects in reducing depression levels in MHD patients. Psychoeducational interventions that use coping strategies, goal setting, and relaxation techniques could enhance the QOL in MHD patients in the short term (< 1 m) (SMD: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.42 to 1.30, p = 0.02, I2 = 86%; 241 participants). CONCLUSIONS: Psychoeducational interventions have shown great potential to improve anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with MHD at the short- and medium-term follow-ups.Trial registration number: CRD42023440561.

Comparison of lifestyle, cognitive function, mental health, and quality of life between hospitalized older adults with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 in South Korea: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly impacted older adults, resulting in many deaths. The impact of lifestyle and mental health on vulnerable groups, such as older adults, can be large and long lasting. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 confirmation on cognition, lifestyle, mental health, and quality of life in adults aged 55 years. METHODS: The sample consisted of 111 people in the COVID group and 189 people in the non-COVID group aged over 55 years in South Korea. An online survey was conducted between January and May 2022. Participants responded to the following assessment tools: Yonsei Lifestyle Profile, Prospective and Retrospective Memory (PRMQ), Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire (SMCQ), Visual Analogue Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF). Differences in lifestyle, cognition, depression, anxiety, and quality of life were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were significant differences in physical activity, diet, the total score of the PRMQ, PM (a sub-score of the PRMQ), PHQ-9, Korean version of the ISI (ISI-K), and WHOQOL-BREF scores between the COVID and non-COVID groups. However, there were no significant differences in activity participation, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), or FCV-19 S between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms that COVID-19 negatively affects memory, physical activity, diet, quality of life, depression, and insomnia in the older adults. Therefore, this study implicated that prevention and intervention strategies required improving the memory, lifestyle, and mental health of older adults with COVID-19. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Yonsei university in Korea (Registration number: 1041849-202112-SB-226-03, Date of registration: 01042022).

Decreased odds of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation with higher education, depending on sex and employment status.

BACKGROUND: Higher education is associated with reduced depressive symptoms and requires investment without guaranteed employment. It remains unclear how sex and employment status together contribute to the association between mental health and educational attainment. This study investigated the role of sex and employment status together in the associations of 1) depressive symptoms and 2) suicidal ideation with education. METHODS: Using 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, cross-sectional analyses were conducted on individuals ≥20 years who completed the depression questionnaire and reported their employment status and highest level of education. Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore how depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation are associated with educational attainment in an analysis stratified by sex and employment status. To account for multiple testing, a significance level of a < 0.01 was used. RESULTS: Participants (n = 23,669) had a weighted mean age of 43.25 (SD = 13.97) years and 47% were female. Employed females (aOR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.32, 0.69), unemployed females (aOR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.29, 0.75), and unemployed males (aOR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.17, 0.56) with college education had reduced odds of depressive symptoms compared to those with high school education. Employed females with college education also had reduced suicidal ideation odds compared to those with high school education (aOR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.22, 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: Females demonstrated significant associations between depressive symptoms and education, regardless of employment status, whereas males demonstrated an association only if unemployed. Employed females, in particular, demonstrated a significant association between suicidal ideation and education. These findings may inform future research investigating the underlying mechanisms and etiology of these sex-employment status differences in the association between mental health and education.

Comparison of dysfunctional attitudes, cognitive vulnerability to depression, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in healthy participants.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, depression and suicide rates increased worldwide, and in Japan. Presumably, an increase of neuroticism-related personality traits mediates the relation linking the COVID-19 pandemic with depression and suicide. This study examined COVID-19 pandemic effects on dysfunctional attitudes, cognitive vulnerability to depression, in healthy participants. METHODS: The study used Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) -24 data of three subscales (i.e., achievement, dependency, and self-control) obtained from 270 Japanese medical students during October 2017 - June 2022. Participants were divided into two groups: those for whom DAS-24 was assessed before the pandemic (phase 1 group, October 2017 - March 2020, n = 178) and those for whom DAS-24 was assessed during the pandemic (phase 2 group, April 2020 - June 2022, n = 92). RESULTS: Total DAS-24 scores of the phase 2 group were significantly (p = 0.047) lower than those of the phase 1 group. Scores of the dependency subscale for the phase 2 group were significantly (p = 0.002) lower than those for the phase 1 group, but no significant difference was found in the scores of the achievement and self-control subscales. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a decrease in DAS-24 scores, particularly of the dependency subscale, occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Possible mechanisms underlying these results are 1) individuals became less preoccupied with receiving evaluation, 2) individuals realized that self-cognition depending on the approval of others is unimportant, and 3) high levels of dysfunctional attitude were maladaptive for obtaining affective benefits via social interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Depression, stress, and anxiety versus internet addiction in early and middle adolescent groups: the mediating roles of family and school environments.

BACKGROUND: Family and school environment play a crucial role across the different developmental stages of adolescence. This paper investigates the potential mediating role of family and school environments in the relationship between the three psychosocial predictors of depression, anxiety, stress, and Internet addiction (IA). Specifically, it focuses on the two stages of early and middle adolescence. METHODS: The study involved a survey of 407 adolescents from Qatar, comprising 250 early adolescents and 157 middle adolescents. Inclusion criteria for the study included adolescents between the ages of 10 to 17 years old, residents of Qatar and studying in a Qatar-based school. To assess the constructs of the three psychosocial predictors, IA, family environment, the study utilized the Depression, Stress, and Anxiety Scale (DASS), the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ), and the Brief Family Relationship Scale, respectively. School environment was measured using questions from the "Health Behavior in School-aged Children: WHO Collaborative Cross-National survey/study (HBSC) 2013-2014. The study applied standard mediation analysis between the DASS components and IA with family and school environment as the mediators. RESULTS: Results from the mediation analysis reveal insights into the relationships between psychosocial predictors and IA. The findings indicate that family and school environments partially mediated the relationship with regards to depression, stress, and anxiety in early adolescents. In middle adolescents, family environment partially mediated the relationship with depression and stress and fully mediating the relationship with anxiety. Meanwhile, school environment only exhibited partial mediation in the relationship with anxiety in middle adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the crucial role parents and schools play in addressing problematic technology usage that develops as a response to depression, anxiety, and stress among adolescents. Moreover, the study reveals nuances in the mediating role of family and school environment in early and middle adolescence. This highlights the evolving nature of these influences across the different stages of development. Notably, this study contributes to the literature by moving beyond the conventional focus on the so-called WEIRD population, and offering valuable insights from a region that is underrepresented in current research.

Correlation of negative emotion, fatigue level and internet addiction in college students: implication for coping strategies.

BACKGROUND: Internet addiction has an important influence on the development of physical and mental health of college students. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current status and the correlation between college students' negative emotion, fatigue level and Internet addiction disorder, and to provide reference for the care and management of college students. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey on a cluster sample of college students from October to November 15, 2022. Internet addiction scale, fatigue assessment scale and positive and negative emotion scale were used for survey. Pearson correlation analysis and mediating effect test were performed to analyze the correlation and effects. RESULTS: A total of 1546 valid questionnaires were collected. The incidence of internet addiction in college student was 20.38%. The total score of internet addiction was 52.94 ± 12.47, the total fatigue score was 69.27 ± 3.19, the score of positive emotion of college students was 31. 41 ± 5.09, and the negative emotion score was 18.54 ± 5.68. The total score of internet addiction were positively correlated with score of negative emotion (all P < 0. 05). The total score of internet addiction scale of college students were positively correlated and each factor score of with the score of fatigue severity (all P < 0. 05). Fatigue played an intermediary role in the prediction of negative emotion and internet addiction of college students, with an intermediary role of-0.433, accounting for 76.35% of the total effect. CONCLUSION: The college students' positive emotion may be strengthened to reduce their fatigue level and negative emotion so as to reduce internet addiction.

Anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescents and young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results of an outpatient screening.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that growing up with rheumatic conditions can fuel dissatisfaction and psychological distress, which in turn affects disease self-management and treatment adherence. Primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to identify correlates of conspicuous screening results. METHODS: Initiated as part of the COACH multicenter observational study, outpatients aged 12 to 21 years participating in the National Pediatric Rheumatological Database (NPRD) were prospectively screened for mental health using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7). RESULTS: Data from 1,150 adolescents with JIA (mean age 15.6 ± 2.2 years; mean disease duration 7.2 ± 4.9 years, 69% female, 43% oligoarthritis, 26% polyarthritis) were analysed. Overall, 32.7% (n = 316) of AYA showed conspicuous screening results, of whom 30.4% reported clinically relevant suicidal or self-harm thoughts. About 19% of screened patients showed moderate to severe depressive or anxious symptoms. AYA with conspicuous screening results were older (15.8 vs. 15.2 years; p < 0.0001), more often female (81% vs. 64%; p < 0.0001) and more often overweight (25% vs. 17%; p = 0.006). They had higher disease activity (physician global assessment on NRS 0-10; 1.7 vs. 1.2; p < 0.0001), more functional limitations (CHAQ; 0.44 vs. 0.14; <0.0001) and rated their health status worse (NRS 0-10; 3.5 vs. 1.8; p < 0.0001) than AYA with inconspicuous screening results. Females (OR 2.33 [CI 1.53-3.56]; p < 0.0001), older age (OR 1.09 [CI 1.01-1.18]; p = 0.026), patients with more functional limitations (OR 3.36 [CI 1.98-5.72]; p < 0.0001), and patients with worse subjective health status (OR 1.17 [CI 1.07-1.27]; p < 0.0001) were more likely to have a conspicuous screening result. Regular sports participation was associated with a lower likelihood of conspicuous screening result (OR 0.69 [CI 0.49-0.98]; p = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: A large-scale outpatient screening of AYA with JIA in Germany shows a high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms. The need for routine screening for early detection of mental health problems became apparent.

Codesigned online cognitive bias modification of interpretations for anxiety and depression in children: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Previous research has shown that cognitive bias modification of interpretations (CBM-I) may be a promising intervention for anxiety in youth; however, results are mixed. Given the high comorbidity between anxiety and depression in youth, it is surprising that no child studies have targeted biases associated with both. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of an online CBM-I intervention (Mindmaster) for children with symptom scores of anxiety or depression above a borderline or clinical threshold. The intervention has been codesigned with children, parents and mental health professionals to promote user engagement. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study is a randomised controlled trial, with two parallel arms. Participants are 143 children aged 8-10 years with scores of anxiety and/or depressive symptoms above a borderline or clinical threshold. They will be allocated to either the intervention group or the waitlist control group. The intervention consists of 2 weeks of online CBM-I training, with four sessions (10-15 min) per week. Outcome assessments will be conducted at baseline, 4 weeks after baseline (post-training/post-waitlist) and 8 weeks after baseline (follow-up) for the intervention group only. The primary outcome is interpretation bias. Secondary outcomes are anxiety and depressive symptoms and life interference. Analyses will be conducted within an intention-to-treat framework using mixed models for repeated measures. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee (HC220758). Findings will be reported to (1) participating families; (2) presented at scientific conferences and (3) disseminated to peer-review publications. Data will be available from the corresponding author on request. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12622001493730.

Gender and age-related features of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients in the acute phase of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To investigate the gender and age characteristics of psychopathological symptoms in patients in the acute phase of respiratory infection SARS-CoV-2. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: A total of 66 patients aged 8 to 92 years, sick with COVID-19 during inpatient treatment with lung damage from 30 to 70%, confirmed radiologically, in the period up to 20 days from the onset of the disease, were examined. To assess the mental status of patients with COVID-19, we used a clinical, clinical-psychopathological, psychometric method, which included the following questionnaires as part of psychiatric screening for studying psychopathological symptoms upon admission to the hospital. The Patient Health Questionnaire - PHQ-9, The Generalised Anxiety Disorder - GAD-7, Hamilton Test were used. The research data collection period is from 2020 to 2022. RESULTS: Results: Acute respiratory infection СОVID-19 affects the psycho-emotional state. During inpatient treatment, 60.6% of patients have symptoms of depression, 66.1% have anxiety symptoms. Most women with COVID-19 are characterized by moderate depression according to PHQ-9, mild anxiety according to GAD-7, and moderate anxiety according to Hamilton. Mild depression characterizes most men according to PHQ-9, absence of anxiety according to GAD-7, and mild anxiety according to Hamilton. Anxiety symptoms were less pronounced among men with COVID-19, with insomnia and respiratory symptoms being the most significant. Among women, anxiety (p≤0.001), tension, depression (p≤0.001), somatic muscle (p≤0.001) and respiratory symptoms (p≤0.001) predominate in the structure of anxiety during the active phase of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The data obtained will be useful in the development of psychoprophylactic measures in patients with COVID-19.

Purpose in life, loneliness and depression among patients with substance use disorders in the psychiatric hospitals in Ghana.

Substance use disorder is a global mental health issue. Purpose in life, Loneliness and depression are key indicators of poor mental health, and people with substance use disorder are more likely to experience low purpose in life, depression, and loneliness. This study aims to further the understanding of purpose in life, depression and loneliness among substance use disorders (SUD) patients in three hospitals in Ghana. It uses a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 425 SUD inpatients were screened. Beck Depression Inventory-II, the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Purpose in Life Test were utilised to measure depression, loneliness, and purpose in life respectively. Data were analysed using the SPSS version 23 for Windows. Data from 378 participants were collected for this study using a cross sectional survey design; after data cleaning, frequency tables (for categorical variables) and descriptive statistics (for continuous variables) were used to summarise the demographics and the three outcome variables depression, purpose in life, and loneliness. Our findings indicate that overall, participants are more likely to experience low sense of purpose in life, depression, and loneliness compared to the general population. There was no statistically significant relationship between depression and loneliness (r = 0.030, p = 0.567). There was a statistically significant negative relationship between depression and purpose in life (r = -0.514, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between purpose in life and loneliness (r = 0.147, p = 0.004). There was no gender difference in depression, purpose in life, and loneliness among SUDs patients in psychiatric hospitals. There were no significant differences in purpose in life, depression and loneliness based on marital status. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will inform policies and clinical practice regarding service provision for patients with SUDs.

How much do adverse childhood experiences contribute to adolescent anxiety and depression symptoms? Evidence from the longitudinal study of Australian children.

This study aims to: (i) examine the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents; and (ii) estimate the burden of anxiety and depressive symptoms attributable to ACEs.Data were analyzed from 3089 children followed between Waves 1 (age 4-5 years) and 7 (16-17 years) of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between ACEs and child-reported elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms at age 16-17. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured using the Children's Anxiety Scale and Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, respectively. The punaf command available in STATA 14 was used to calculate the population attributable fraction (PAF).Before the age of 18 years, 68.8% of the children had experienced two or more ACEs. In the analysis adjusted for confounding factors, including co-occurring ACEs, both history and current exposure to bullying victimisation and parental psychological distress were associated with a statistically significant increased likelihood of elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms at age 16-17. Overall, 47% of anxiety symptoms (95% CI for PAF: 35-56) and 21% of depressive symptoms (95% CI: 12-29) were attributable to a history of bullying victimisation. Similarly, 17% (95% CI: 11-25%) of anxiety and 15% (95% CI: 4-25%) of depressive symptoms at age 16-17 years were attributable to parental psychological distress experienced between the ages of 4-15 years.The findings demonstrate that intervention to reduce ACEs, especially parental psychological distress and bullying victimisation, may reduce the substantial burden of mental disorders in the population.

Mental toughness in adolescents: bridging family relationships and depression across personality traits.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a pivotal stage vulnerable to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. While family relationships, mental toughness, and personality traits are known to impact adolescent mental health, their interactive and moderating roles are not fully understood. AIM: This study aims to investigate the mediating role of mental toughness in the relationship between family relationships and depression among high school students, and to examine the varying impacts of personality traits on this mediation. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 734 adolescents. Participants completed measures assessing family relationships, mental toughness, personality traits, and mental health outcomes (depression). Latent Profile Analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling, to investigate these relationships. RESULTS: The study found that mental toughness significantly mediates the relationship between family relationships and depression. Notably, this mediating effect varied between personality type; it was more pronounced in the moderate-reserved type compared to the proactive-engaged type. LPA identified two distinct personality types of students based on their personality traits, with differential patterns of family relationships, mental toughness, and depression. Multiple regression analysis indicated that character and adaptability, components of mental toughness, were significant negative predictors of depression. CONCLUSION: The study contributes to understanding the dynamics of adolescent mental health, particularly in the context of Chinese high school students. It underscores the importance of considering family dynamics, personality traits, and mental toughness in developing effective mental health interventions for adolescents.

Evaluation of depression symptoms and depression literacy among medical students: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Mental health plays an important role in educational performance. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between depression symptoms, depression literacy, and quality of life in undergraduate and postgraduate medical students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2023 in Riyadh with 263 medical students. Data were obtained using three different sets of questionnaires (a demographic section, the Depression Literacy Scale, and a quality-of-life questionnaire). RESULTS: In total, 134 men (51%) and 129 women (49%) participated in the study; out of these, 142 participants reported depression, while 109 individuals reported family-related depression. Only 25% of the participants attended depression seminars and workshops in the last year, while 83% felt that depression was an illness. Students with a family history of depression also reported higher levels of depression. Depression was lowest among students who attended depression management seminars or workshops. Marital status did not affect depression among medical students. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal that depression is widespread among medical students and that counseling and frequent depression assessments are required. There is a need for greater awareness of different aspects of depression among medical students, parents, and medical educators. Health education programs and interventions targeting mental health care can be implemented at the individual, family, and community levels.

Association between precarious employment and the onset of depressive symptoms in men and women: a 13-year longitudinal analysis in Korea (2009-2022).

AIMS: Increasing social concern surrounds the potential adverse health effects of precarious employment (PE). In this study, we explored the association between PE and the onset of depressive symptoms. METHODS: A total of 11,555 Korean waged workers (5700 females) contributed 62,217 observations from 2009 to 2022. PE was operationalized as a multidimensional construct, including employment insecurity, income inadequacy and lack of rights and protection. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (11-item version). The association between PE and the onset of depressive symptoms in the subsequent year was estimated using generalized estimating equations. Effect sizes were reported as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The overall incidence of depressive symptoms was 8.3% during the study period. In cross-sectional analysis, daily employment, disguised employment, lower monthly wages and lack of social insurance coverage were associated with concurrent depressive symptoms in both men and women. Longitudinally, fixed-term employment (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07-1.29), daily employment (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.45-1.85) and disguised employment (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.17-1.57) were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms among the overall sample. Among men, the lowest quartiles of wage were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.13-1.60), while the absence of a trade union was associated among women (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01-1.39). CONCLUSIONS: Employment insecurity, inadequate income and lack of rights and protection may contribute to depressive symptoms. Therefore, PE serves as a significant social determinant of mental health among workers in Korea. Active policy efforts are warranted to improve the overall quality of employment in the workforce.

Psychological interventions for depression and anxiety in patients with coronary heart disease, heart failure or atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety occur frequently (with reported prevalence rates of around 40%) in individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure (HF) or atrial fibrillation (AF) and are associated with a poor prognosis, such as decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and increased morbidity and mortality. Psychological interventions are developed and delivered by psychologists or specifically trained healthcare workers and commonly include cognitive behavioural therapies and mindfulness-based stress reduction. They have been shown to reduce depression and anxiety in the general population, though the exact mechanism of action is not well understood. Further, their effects on psychological and clinical outcomes in patients with CHD, HF or AF are unclear. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of psychological interventions (alone, or with cardiac rehabilitation or pharmacotherapy, or both) in adults who have a diagnosis of CHD, HF or AF, compared to no psychological intervention, on psychological and clinical outcomes. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases from 2009 to July 2022. We also searched three clinical trials registers in September 2020, and checked the reference lists of included studies. No language restrictions were applied. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing psychological interventions with no psychological intervention for a minimum of six months follow-up in adults aged over 18 years with a clinical diagnosis of CHD, HF or AF, with or without depression or anxiety. Studies had to report on either depression or anxiety or both. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were depression and anxiety, and our secondary outcomes of interest were HRQoL mental and physical components, all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome. MAIN RESULTS: Twenty-one studies (2591 participants) met our inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies included people with CHD, five with HF and none with AF. Study sample sizes ranged from 29 to 430. Twenty and 17 studies reported the primary outcomes of depression and anxiety, respectively. Despite the high heterogeneity and variation, we decided to pool the studies using a random-effects model, recognising that the model does not eliminate heterogeneity and findings should be interpreted cautiously. We found that psychological interventions probably have a moderate effect on reducing depression (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.65 to -0.06; 20 studies, 2531 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and anxiety (SMD -0.57, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.18; 17 studies, 2235 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), compared to no psychological intervention. Psychological interventions may have little to no effect on HRQoL physical component summary scores (PCS) (SMD 0.48, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.98; 12 studies, 1454 participants; low-certainty evidence), but may have a moderate effect on improving HRQoL mental component summary scores (MCS) (SMD 0.63, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.26; 12 studies, 1454 participants; low-certainty evidence), compared to no psychological intervention. Psychological interventions probably have little to no effect on all-cause mortality (risk ratio (RR) 0.81, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.69; 3 studies, 615 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and may have little to no effect on MACE (RR 1.22, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.92; 4 studies, 450 participants; low-certainty evidence), compared to no psychological intervention. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence suggests that psychological interventions for depression and anxiety probably result in a moderate reduction in depression and anxiety and may result in a moderate improvement in HRQoL MCS, compared to no intervention. However, they may have little to no effect on HRQoL PCS and MACE, and probably do not reduce mortality (all-cause) in adults who have a diagnosis of CHD or HF, compared with no psychological intervention. There was moderate to substantial heterogeneity identified across studies. Thus, evidence of treatment effects on these outcomes warrants careful interpretation. As there were no studies of psychological interventions for patients with AF included in our review, this is a gap that needs to be addressed in future studies, particularly in view of the rapid growth of research on management of AF. Studies investigating cost-effectiveness, return to work and cardiovascular morbidity (revascularisation) are also needed to better understand the benefits of psychological interventions in populations with heart disease.

Evaluation of Sexual Function According to Gender and Sexual Orientation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey: A National Online Survey Study. / Türkiye'de COVID-19 Küresel Salgini Sirasinda Cinsel Islevlerin Cinsiyet ve Cinsel Yönelime Göre Degerlendirilmesi: Ulusal Çevrim Içi Anket Çalismasi.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus Diseases-19 (COVID-19) pandemic that has caused the death of thousands of people affected negatively not only people's physical wellbeing but also their mental health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sexual function, depression, anxiety and stress, and fear of COVID-19 of individuals according to gender and sexual orientation during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: The questionnaire form included sociodemographic data form, the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-Short Form (DASS-21), and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). The form was distributed on social media platforms. RESULTS: 1593 sexually active participants were included in the study. 47.5% of the participants were females and 52.5% were males. 86.9% of them were heterosexuals and 13.1% were lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. ASEX, DASS-21 Depression, Anxiety, and Stress, and FCV-19S scores were significantly higher in females than males (p<0.001). When anxiety, depression, stress, and fear of COVID-19 were controlled, level of sexual dysfunction continued to be higher in women. We found that while the ASEX and FCV-19S scores were similar between the heterosexuals and LGBs (respectively p=0.66 and p=0.31), the DASS-21 Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scores were higher in LGBs (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results reveal the effect of the pandemic period on female sexual functions and the importance of addressing this topic in clinical practice and research.