Income loss and subsequent poor psychological well-being among the Chinese population during the early COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had major ramifications for health and the economy at both the individual and collective levels. This study examined exogenous negative changes in household income and their implications on psychological well-being (PWB) among the Chinese population during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data were drawn from the early China COVID-19 Survey, a cross-sectional anonymous online survey administered to the general population in China. Self-reported PWB was measured using a 5-point Likert scale with five questions related to the participants' recent psychological state. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was employed to examine whether income loss during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with poor psychological health. RESULTS: This study included 8,428 adults, of which 90% had suffered from a moderate or severe loss of household income due to the early COVID-19 pandemic. Those who had experienced moderate or severe loss of income scored significantly lower on psychological well-being than those who did not experience income loss (19.96 or 18.07 vs. 21.46; P < 0.001); after controlling for confounders, income loss was negatively associated with PWB scores (moderate income loss: B = - 0.603, P < 0.001; severe income loss: B = - 1.261, P < 0.001). An interaction effect existed between the degree of income loss and pre-pandemic income groups. Specifically, participants in the middle-income group who had suffered severe income loss scored the lowest on PWB (B = - 1.529, P < 0.001). There was also a main effect on income loss, such that participants with varying degrees of income loss differed across five dimensions, including anhedonia, sleep problems, irritability or anger, difficulty with concentration, and repeated disturbing dreams related to COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Income loss during the pandemic has had detrimental consequences on psychological well-being, and the magnitude of the impact of income loss on psychological well-being varied according to previous income levels. Future policy efforts should be directed toward improving the psychological well-being of the economically vulnerable and helping them recover from lost income in the shortest time possible.

Does social capital aid in leveling the income gradient in child mental health? A structural analysis of the left-behind and not-left-behind Chinese children.

BACKGROUND: Few prior studies have investigated the income gradient in child mental health from a socio-environmental perspective. In an age when child mental health problems in a rapidly changing social environment have become a worldwide issue, an understanding of the socio-environmental mechanisms of the income disparities in child mental health outcomes is imperative and cost-effective. METHODS: By conducting structural equation analyses with Chinese nationally representative survey data, this study explored the family income gradient in child depression and its potential socio-environmental pathways at the neighborhood, family and school levels, differentiating left-behind and not-left-behind children. RESULTS: We found a robust family income gradient in depressive symptoms. Neighborhood cohesion mitigated the income gradient in depressive symptoms by playing a suppression role. School social capital acted as a mediator. Neighborhood trust, neighborhood safety and family social capital played no significant impact. The mitigating and mediating roles of social capital components were significant among only the not-left-behind children. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce income-related inequalities in child mental health in the long run, integrating policies that directly reduce poverty with policies that improve distal socio-environments is necessary.

Maternal Distress and Adolescent Mental Health in Poor Chinese Single-Mother Families: Filial Responsibilities-Risks or Buffers?

Single motherhood and poverty have a significant, negative impact on mothers and their children. When their mothers experience maternal distress, adolescent children have to take up more instrumental and emotional filial responsibilities to comfort their mother and adapt to related changes. Based on 325 mother-child dyads of Chinese single-mother families experiencing economic disadvantage, this study examined the relationship between maternal distress and adolescent mental health problems (indexed by anxiety and depression) and the moderating roles of instrumental and emotional filial responsibilities. Results indicated that maternal distress was positively associated with anxiety and depression in adolescent children. In addition, instrumental filial responsibility intensified the associations of maternal distress with adolescent anxiety and depression. Moreover, the moderating role of emotional filial responsibility in the predictive relationship between maternal distress and adolescent anxiety was different in boys and girls. Adolescent girls with more emotional filial responsibility reported higher adolescent anxiety than did those who shouldered less emotional filial responsibility when their mother exhibited more distress, whereas the relationship between maternal distress and adolescent anxiety was stable in boys, regardless of emotional filial responsibility. In short, the present study showed that parentification was likely to occur in poor Chinese single-mother families, and adolescent children who took up a more caregiving role in the family exhibited poorer mental health. Family counselling and tangible support for single-mother families experiencing economic disadvantage are urged.

Nota Informativa N. 3/2021 - GSM - 18351 - Serviços hospitalares de referência: fluxo processual para implantacao de leitos em saúde mental em hospital geral / Informative Note N. 3/2021 - GSM - 18351 - Reference hospital services: procedural flow for the implementation of mental health beds in a general hospital

Este documento visa apoiar as Regionais de Saúde do Estado de Goiás, junto aos Apoiadores Regionais de Saúde Mental e Populações Específicas, no processo de implantação e habilitação de leitos em saúde mental em hospital geral

This document aims to support the Health Regionals of the State of Goiás, together with the Regional Health Supporters Mental Health and Specific Populations, in the process of implementing and enabling mental health beds in a hospital general

Gender-affirming care, mental health, and economic stability in the time of COVID-19: A multi-national, cross-sectional study of transgender and nonbinary people.

BACKGROUND: Transgender and nonbinary people are disproportionately affected by structural barriers to quality healthcare, mental health challenges, and economic hardship. This study examined the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis and subsequent control measures on gender-affirming care, mental health, and economic stability among transgender and nonbinary people in multiple countries. METHODS: We collected multi-national, cross-sectional data from 964 transgender and nonbinary adult users of the Hornet and Her apps from April to August 2020 to characterize changes in gender-affirming care, mental health, and economic stability as a result of COVID-19. We conducted Poisson regression models to assess if access to gender-affirming care and ability to live according to one's gender were related to depressive symptoms, anxiety, and changes in suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Individuals resided in 76 countries, including Turkey (27.4%, n = 264) and Thailand (20.6%, n = 205). A majority were nonbinary (66.8%, n = 644) or transfeminine (29.4%, n = 283). Due to COVID-19, 55.0% (n = 320/582) reported reduced access to gender-affirming resources, and 38.0% (n = 327/860) reported reduced time lived according to their gender. About half screened positive for depression (50.4%,442/877) and anxiety (45.8%, n = 392/856). One in six (17.0%, n = 112/659) expected losses of health insurance, and 77.0% (n = 724/940) expected income reductions. The prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and increased suicidal ideation were 1.63 (95% CI: 1.36-1.97), 1.61 (95% CI: 1.31-1.97), and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.07-2.82) times higher for individuals whose access to gender-affirming resources was reduced versus not. DISCUSSION: The COVID-19 crisis is associated with reduced access to gender-affirming resources and the ability of transgender and nonbinary people to live according to their gender worldwide. These reductions may drive the increased depressive symptoms, anxiety, and suicidal ideation reported in this sample. To improve health of transgender and nonbinary communities, increased access to gender-affirming resources should be prioritized through policies (e.g., digital prescriptions), flexible interventions (e.g., telehealth), and support for existing transgender health initiatives.

COVID-19 impacts on drinking and mental health in emerging adults: Longitudinal changes and moderation by economic disruption and sex.

BACKGROUND: There are significant concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic may have negative effects on substance use and mental health, but most studies to date are cross-sectional. In a sample of emerging adults, over a two-week period during the pandemic, the current study examined: (1) changes in drinking-related outcomes, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder and (2) differences in changes by sex and income loss. The intra-pandemic measures were compared to pre-pandemic measures. METHODS: Participants were 473 emerging adults (Mage  = 23.84; 41.7% male) in an existing longitudinal study on alcohol misuse who were assessed from June 17 to July 1, 2020, during acute public health restrictions in Ontario, Canada. These intra-pandemic data were matched to participant pre-pandemic reports, collected an average of 5 months earlier. Assessments included validated measures of drinking, alcohol-related consequences, and mental health indicators. RESULTS: Longitudinal analyses revealed significant decreases in heavy drinking and adverse alcohol consequences, with no moderation by sex or income loss, but with substantial heterogeneity in changes. Significant increases in continuous measures of depression and anxiety were present, both of which were moderated by sex. Females reported significantly larger increases in depression and anxiety. Income loss >50% was significantly associated with increases in depression. CONCLUSIONS: During the initial phase of the pandemic, reductions in heavy drinking and alcohol consequences were present in this sample of emerging adults, perhaps due to restrictions on socializing. In contrast, there was an increase in internalizing symptoms , especially in females, highlighting disparities in the mental health impacts of the pandemic.

Cost-effectiveness evidence of mental health prevention and promotion interventions: A systematic review of economic evaluations.

BACKGROUND: The prevention of mental disorders and promotion of mental health and well-being are growing fields. Whether mental health promotion and prevention interventions provide value for money in children, adolescents, adults, and older adults is unclear. The aim of the current study is to update 2 existing reviews of cost-effectiveness studies in this field in order to determine whether such interventions are cost-effective. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Electronic databases (including MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and EconLit through EBSCO and Embase) were searched for published cost-effectiveness studies of prevention of mental disorders and promotion of mental health and well-being from 2008 to 2020. The quality of studies was assessed using the Quality of Health Economic Studies Instrument (QHES). The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (# CRD42019127778). The primary outcomes were incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) or return on investment (ROI) ratio across all studies. A total of 65 studies met the inclusion criteria of a full economic evaluation, of which, 23 targeted children and adolescents, 35 targeted adults, while the remaining targeted older adults. A large number of studies focused on prevention of depression and/or anxiety disorders, followed by promotion of mental health and well-being and other mental disorders. Although there was high heterogeneity in terms of the design among included economic evaluations, most studies consistently found that interventions for mental health prevention and promotion were cost-effective or cost saving. The review found that targeted prevention was likely to be cost-effective compared to universal prevention. Screening plus psychological interventions (e.g., cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT]) at school were the most cost-effective interventions for prevention of mental disorders in children and adolescents, while parenting interventions and workplace interventions had good evidence in mental health promotion. There is inconclusive evidence for preventive interventions for mental disorders or mental health promotion in older adults. While studies were of general high quality, there was limited evidence available from low- and middle-income countries. The review was limited to studies where mental health was the primary outcome and may have missed general health promoting strategies that could also prevent mental disorder or promote mental health. Some ROI studies might not be included given that these studies are commonly published in grey literature rather than in the academic literature. CONCLUSIONS: Our review found a significant growth of economic evaluations in prevention of mental disorders or promotion of mental health and well-being over the last 10 years. Although several interventions for mental health prevention and promotion provide good value for money, the varied quality as well as methodologies used in economic evaluations limit the generalisability of conclusions about cost-effectiveness. However, the finding that the majority of studies especially in children, adolescents, and adults demonstrated good value for money is promising. Research on cost-effectiveness in low-middle income settings is required. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019127778.

Editorial: 'No pain - No gain' - Towards the inclusion of mental health costs in balanced "lockdown" decision-making during health pandemics.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, many governments have implemented national or regional lockdowns to slow the spread of infection. The widely anticipated negative impact these interventions would have on families, including on their mental health, were not included in decision models. The purpose of this editorial is, therefore, to stimulate debate by considering some of the barriers that have stopped governments setting the benefits of lockdown against, in particular, mental health costs during this process and so to make possible a more balanced approach going forward. First, evidence that lockdown causes mental health problems needs to be stronger. Natural experimental studies will play an essential role in providing such evidence. Second, innovative health economic approaches that allow the costs and benefits of lockdown to be compared directly are required. Third, we need to develop public health information strategies that allow more nuanced and complex messages that balance lockdown's costs and benefits to be communicated. These steps should be accompanied by a major public consultation/engagement campaign aimed at strengthening the publics' understanding of science and exploring beliefs about how to strike the appropriate balance between costs and benefits in public health intervention decisions.

Estimating a Preference-Based Index for Mental Health From the Recovering Quality of Life Measure: Valuation of Recovering Quality of Life Utility Index.

BACKGROUND: There are increasing concerns about the appropriateness of generic preference-based measures to capture health benefits in the area of mental health. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to estimate preference weights for a new measure, Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL-10), to better capture the benefits of mental healthcare. METHODS: Psychometric analyses of a larger sample of mental health service users (n = 4266) using confirmatory factor analyses and item response theory were used to derive a health state classification system and inform the selection of health states for utility assessment. A valuation survey with members of the UK public representative in terms of age, sex, and region was conducted using face-to-face interviewer administered time-trade-off with props. A series of regression models were fitted to the data and the best performing model selected for the scoring algorithm. RESULTS: The ReQoL-Utility Index (UI) classification system comprises 6 mental health items and 1 physical health item. Sixty-four health states were valued by 305 participants. The preferred model was a random effects model, with significant and consistent coefficients and best model fit. Estimated utilities modeled for all health states ranged from -0.195 (state worse than dead) to 1 (best possible state). CONCLUSIONS: The development of the ReQoL-UI is based on a novel application of item response theory methods for generating the classification system and selecting health states for valuation. Conventional time-trade-off was used to elicit utility values that are modeled to enable the generation of QALYs for use in cost-utility analysis of mental health interventions.

Food Insufficiency and Mental Health in the U.S. During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the rates of food insecurity and mental illness have been projected to increase in the U.S. owing to significant social and economic disruption. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of food insufficiency (often the most extreme form of food insecurity), the correlates of food insufficiency, and the associations between food insufficiency and symptoms of poor mental health in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 63,674 participants of the U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey were collected and analyzed in 2020. Multiple Poisson regression models were used to estimate associations with food insufficiency. RESULTS: Food insufficiency rose from 8.1% to 10.0% from March to June 2020. Factors associated with food insufficiency included lower age, Black/African American or Latinx race/ethnicity, being unmarried, larger household size, recent employment loss, income below the federal poverty line, and lower education (all p<0.001). Food insufficiency was independently associated with all symptoms of poor mental health, adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic factors (adjusted RRs ranged from 1.16 to 1.42, all p<0.001). The association between food insufficiency and poor mental health was attenuated among people who received free groceries or meals. CONCLUSIONS: Food insufficiency has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and affects vulnerable populations, placing individuals at higher risk for symptoms of poor mental health. Particularly in the current crisis, clinicians should regularly screen patients for food insufficiency and mental health outcomes as well as provide support in accessing appropriate resources.

Accounting for mental health research funding: developing a quantitative baseline of global investments.

High-quality data on funding for mental health research are essential to mapping funding levels, identifying gaps in the funding landscape, and tracking the impact of research funding. To date, quantitative analyses of research funding in mental health have been restricted in scope. In this Health Policy paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of grant funding for mental health research as a starting point for discussion among stakeholders globally. We drew on a major international research database and used existing definitions and automated classification tools for mental health research. Our analysis shows a flat and stable trend over the years 2015-19 and highly unequal geographical distribution of funding, and reveals patterns of funding across different conditions and across the research spectrum. Improvements in data availability and quality, in the definitions delineating mental health research from other areas, and in automated classification tools are needed to ensure funders and policy makers can fully rely on the data and generate bespoke analyses as needed. We argue that collaborative reporting of funding for mental health research globally could help to inform and evaluate efforts to increase investments, to improve strategic dialogue, and to achieve the best possible allocation of finite resources.