Current Well-being Research Articles

The integrated GOR-COVID-19 health monitor: protocol for a comprehensive approach

Abstract Introduction The global COVID-19-pandemic influences people's health, both directly through infection and indirectly through the protective measures taken by governments. Previous experience with health research after disasters/crises are generally limited to short-lasting, local disasters with direct consequences for those affected. The COVID-19-pandemic has a different nature: influencing everyone and lasting a longer time. A longitudinal, wide-reaching research-approach is needed to study the health effects of COVID-19. Therefore, the Network GOR-COVID-19, a research group consisting of different organizations, started a monitor on the health effects of COVID-19. Methods The monitor consists of three main elements: yearly monitoring, quarterly monitoring and literature reviews. Where possible, existing data structures are used. For the quarterly monitoring, two data sources are used: general practitioners’ [GP] registry data and data gathered from panels. The GP data is used for weekly surveillance, giving insight into the prevalence of health symptoms presented to the GP. The panel data is used to gain insight into current self-reported health and wellbeing of people. For the yearly monitoring, two data sources are used. The first is GP data which gives information about the prevalence, incidence and development of symptoms, complaints and diagnoses. It allows for comparison over time and among different population groups. The second is the corona health monitor questionnaire, an existing questionnaire on health and well-being. Finally, literature reviews are conducted annually to create an overview of international and national research about the effects of the COVID-19-pandemic on health. Discussion Since most of our knowledge about the potential impact of the pandemic stems from research on short-term disasters, limited to specific places, this study is expected to provide valuable new insights.

Humor as a Multifaceted Resource in Healthcare: An Initial Qualitative Analysis of Perceived Functions and Conditions of Medical Assistants’ Use of Humor in their Everyday Work and Education

It has been argued that humor serves as a crucial resource for healthcare professionals (HCPs). For example, they can use it to cope with work stress, to build relationships with patients, and/or to educate medical students and residents—to name but a few functions. However, empirical studies on the importance of humor among HCPs are still scarce. Existing studies primarily focus on nurses and physicians and rarely distinguish between different humor styles (e.g., light and dark). Based on qualitative interviews with 14 German Medical Assistants (MAs), we investigate the potential of humor as a resource for MAs’ work and education. We focus on the perceived functions and conditions of MAs’ successful use of humor as well as the role of humor styles (i.e., comic styles). Results indicate various functions of humor in MAs’ everyday work (e.g., soothing patients, coping with mistakes, fostering team cohesion, or promoting apprentices’ education) as well as different conditions for a successful use of humor (e.g., positive social basis, current well-being, and social sensitivity). Further, the results suggest that the use of a certain humor style depends on the interlocutor as well as the intended goal of the humor. The results not only stress the multifaceted potential as well as the relevance of conditions of successful humor for MAs’ everyday work and education, but also provide valuable real-life insights into MAs’ everyday humor, thus offering several implications for practice to promote humor as a positive resource in MAs.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Early Withdrawal of Pension Savings: an Expert Assessment

The purpose of this research is to study the positive and negative aspects of pension savings early withdrawal. A review of foreign experience and literature was conducted; the opinion of expert practitioners in economics, in particular, the financial sphere, was taken into account. Since the recent reforms carried out in the early withdrawal pension system have an impact on future pension payments, there is a need to study this issue. A qualitative research method was applied to determine the positive and negative aspects of the early withdrawal of pension savings using the QDA Miner Lite software. An analysis was carried out on the leading four indicators – factors, advantages and disadvantages, and government readiness. The international experience that has been analyzed shows that in any country, if contributors in their pension fund do not have enough savings to ensure an adequate level of replacement rate, then early withdrawal of funds is not allowed. Their further savings and investment are provided. The opinions of experts regarding the premature use of pension savings are divided. Suppose some believe this situation will lead to an imbalance in the pension system and insufficient pensions in the future. Others believe that it will improve the current well-being of the population. Experts also note that the efficiency of the UAPF will not improve in any way, and the effect on the economy and the population’s welfare will be indistinct and short-term. The results of the study can be used for further development of the pension system.

Emotional Exhaustion Among US Health Care Workers Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2019-2021

Extraordinary strain from COVID-19 has negatively impacted health care worker (HCW) well-being. To determine whether HCW emotional exhaustion has increased during the pandemic, for which roles, and at what point. This survey study was conducted in 3 waves, with an electronic survey administered in September 2019, September 2020, and September 2021 through January 2022. Participants included hospital-based HCWs in clinical and nonclinical (eg, administrative support) roles at 76 community hospitals within 2 large health care systems in the US. Safety, Communication, Organizational Reliability, Physician, and Employee Burnout and Engagement (SCORE) survey domains of emotional exhaustion and emotional exhaustion climate. The percentage of respondents reporting emotional exhaustion (%EE) in themselves and a climate of emotional exhaustion (%EEclim) in their colleagues. Survey items were answered on a 5-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); neutral or higher scores were counted as "percent concerning" for exhaustion. Electronic surveys were returned by 37 187 (of 49 936) HCWs in 2019, 38 460 (of 45 268) in 2020, and 31 475 (of 41 224) in 2021 to 2022 for overall response rates of 74.5%, 85.0%, and 76.4%, respectively. The overall sample comprised 107 122 completed surveys. Nursing was the most frequently reported role (n = 43 918 [40.9%]). A total of 17 786 respondents (16.9%) reported less than 1 year at their facility, 59 226 (56.2%) reported 1 to 10 years, and 28 337 (26.9%) reported 11 years or more. From September 2019 to September 2021 through January 2022, overall %EE increased from 31.8% (95% CI, 30.0%-33.7%) to 40.4% (95% CI, 38.1%-42.8%), with a proportional increase in %EE of 26.9% (95% CI, 22.2%-31.8%). Physicians had a decrease in %EE from 31.8% (95% CI, 29.3%-34.5%) in 2019 to 28.3% (95% CI, 25.9%-31.0%) in 2020 but an increase during the second year of the pandemic to 37.8% (95% CI, 34.7%-41.3%). Nurses had an increase in %EE during the pandemic's first year, from 40.6% (95% CI, 38.4%-42.9%) in 2019 to 46.5% (95% CI, 44.0%-49.1%) in 2020 and increasing again during the second year of the pandemic to 49.2% (95% CI, 46.5%-51.9%). All other roles showed a similar pattern to nurses but at lower levels. Intraclass correlation coefficients revealed clustering of exhaustion within work settings across the 3 years, with coefficients of 0.15 to 0.17 for emotional exhaustion and 0.22 to 0.24 for emotional exhaustion climate, higher than the .10 coefficient typical of organizational climate (a medium effect for shared variance), suggestive of a social contagion effect of HCW exhaustion. This large-scale survey study of HCWs spanning 3 years offers substantial evidence that emotional exhaustion trajectories varied by role but have increased overall and among most HCW roles since the onset of the pandemic. These results suggest that current HCW well-being resources and programs may be inadequate and even more difficult to use owing to lower workforce capacity and motivation to initiate and complete well-being interventions.

Utilizing SBIRT as a Framework for Transforming How We Think About Prevention and Early Intervention for Youth and Young Adults

Utilizing SBIRT as a Framework for Transforming How We Think About Prevention and Early Intervention for Youth and Young Adults

Sleep and Social Wellness: Does Current Subjective and Objective Sleep Inform Future Social Well-Being?

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the link between sleep and broader social well-being. Specifically, the current study evaluated whether subjective and objective sleep indices were associated with subsequent social well-being. Methods: The archival data from the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS II and III, Project 1 and 4) were utilized for the current investigation. The participants completed cross-sectional surveys as part of their involvement in both study waves, 10 years apart. They were 213 adults, 59.6% female-identifying, with an average age of 56 years, who completed 8 days of sleep measurement via wrist actigraphy, sleep diary, as well as the PSQI. The participants also completed the measures of depressive symptoms and social well-being. Results: The actigraphic total sleep time, the diary-reported sleep quality, and the global sleep quality measured by the PSQI emerged as the significant predictors of social well-being over a 10-year period. Conclusions: The present study is an initial step in providing evidence for the importance of sleep for social functioning. Future research should attend to the association between past sleep behaviors and social functioning, specifically the mechanisms by which sleep is associated with social well-being as well as the temporal associations in an adult sample.

A longitudinal study of the effects of well-being and perceived control on preparations for old age: moderation effects of contexts.

Extending research on determinants of preparations for old age across adulthood, we examined the relationship between well-being, perceived control, and preparations for old age over time, along with variation in the strength of these relationships depending on domains of functioning, cultures, and age. We analyzed longitudinal data from the Ageing as Future study assessing changes in well-being, perceived control, and preparations in four different life domains (social relations, finances, work, and health) across a five-year period collected from adults aged from 30 to 85years in Germany (N = 623), Hong Kong (N = 317), and the USA (N = 315). Positive feelings about one's current situation predicted greater perceived control five years later, and vice versa. Also, perceived control and preparations were positively associated over time, with only a few exceptions within each domain. For example, high control beliefs were related to subsequent greater preparations and well-being within the domain of social relations and finances, with weak effects of culture. These results suggest that current well-being may promote adaptive behaviors in later life, with the accumulated effects over time. Thus, focusing on how to improve our well-being may promote engagement in preparations for old age. Our results also indicate that these relations in our model vary by contexts, highlighting the importance of variability in age-related processes.

Increased self-reported sensitivity to environmental stimuli and its effects on perception of air quality and well-being.

In previous studies, negative associations were found between increased environmental sensitivity and general well-being as well as positive perception of air quality. However, only a few studies with partly inconsistent results examined this relation under exposure. They tried to determine whether people with increased environmental sensitivity react to real environmental conditions with changes in current well-being and perception of air quality. Pooled data from two single-blinded randomized controlled trials with different exposure levels were analyzed. Participants were exposed to different levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the front part of a former in-service wide-body airplane inserted in a low-pressure chamber. Three exposure groups were created depending on the VOC/CO₂ levels: low, medium and high. Subjects repeatedly answered questions about their current mental well-being and about perception of air quality and odor intensity. Based on self-reported data the participants were classified into groups with low and higher environmental sensitivity. Data were evaluated using a 2 (environmental sensitivity) x 3 (exposure) ANCOVA with repeated measures. 503 individuals (221 females) participated (mean age: 42.8±14.5 years). Thereof, 166 individuals were assigned to the group with higher environmental sensitivity; they reported poorer psychological well-being regarding vitality (F (1,466)=16.42, p<.001***, partial η²=0.034) and vigilance (F (1,467)=7.82, p=.005**, partial η²=0.016) and rated the pleasantness of air quality (F (1,476)=7.55, p=.006**, partial η²=0.016) and air movement (F (1,474)=5.11, p=.024*, partial η²=0.011) worse than people in the low sensitivity group. Exposure levels showed no effects. No systematic differences between men and women were found. Increased environmental sensitivity shared common variance with negative affectivity, another person-related variable. Its explanatory power was higher for evaluations of the environment whereas no differences between the concepts in explaining current psychological well-being were found. Even a slightly elevated level of environmental sensitivity led to worse ratings of the environment with no clear relation to the real environment. Consequently, environmental sensitivity should be considered as a confounding factor in environmental exposure studies. The independency from real exposure levels is in line with the results from previous studies showing that the differences in environmental ratings are probably also driven by psychological factors.

A strategic approach to employees’ well-being: study assessing the relationship between holistic wellness, job satisfaction emotions, and productivity

Employee holistic well-being is attracting more interest and consideration from businesses as the employers started realizing the gains and impact this implementation of holistic wellness policies for workers in the workplace can have on the business. This study aims to analyze the impact of the holistic wellness of employees on their job satisfaction and work productivity. This paper aims to assess the approaches adopted by organizations towards employees’ holistic wellness and how it contributes to their job satisfaction and quality of work. The study aims to identify current employee well-being in organizations, employee wellness dimensions being covered through workplace wellness programs, and analyze the relationship between employees’ holistic well-being and work productivity, job satisfaction, and organization performance. The approach of the study includes a quantitative survey, qualitative interviews, and empirical evidence. Primary research is done at the organizational level using structured interviews with HR leads and employees. Secondary research is done by reviewing existing literature to explore industry best practices in holistic well-being. The deductive approach has been used to explain explanations and arguments backed by empirical observations in organizations and relevant theoretical concepts. The findings from the study will help the organizations who are in the process of streamlining and structuring the employee wellness programs to understand the link between employees’ holistic wellness and their productivity and job satisfaction and use these findings to increase job satisfaction and productivity of the employees. The data gathered not only from quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews but also through empirical observations. These findings can provide valuable pointers for human resource managers in other organizations.

The Well-Being and Resilience of Canadian Christian Clergy.

Clergy play significant leadership, educational, and caregiving roles in society. However, burnout is a concern for the clergy profession, those they serve, and their families. Effects include decreased ministry effectiveness, lower sense of personal accomplishment in their role, and negative impacts on quality of family life and relationships. Given these risks, knowledge of the nature of Christian clergy’s current resilience and well-being in Canada may provide valuable intelligence to mitigate these challenges. In summary, the purpose of this research was to describe and analyze the status of clergy resilience and well-being in Canada, together with offering focused insights. Resilience and well-being surveys used by the co-authors with educators and nurses were adapted for use in this study. This instrument was developed to gain insight into baseline patterns of resilience and well-being and included questions across seven sections: (1) demographic information. (2) health status, (3) professional quality of life, (4) Cantril Well-Being Scale, (5) Ego-Resiliency Scale, (6) Grit Scale, and (7) open-ended questions. The findings provided valuable insights into clergy well-being and resilience that can benefit individual clerics, educational institutions, denominations, and congregations. The participants’ current resilience and well-being included high levels of resiliency, moderate grit, and satisfaction with health and wellness. Other significant findings included the impact of congregational flourishing and age. This study found that clergy well-being and resilience was doing well despite the increased adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications of this study are that clerics may need unique supports based on their age and also whether they serve in a congregation they perceive as flourishing.

A person-centered approach to resilience and vulnerability in emerging adulthood: Predictions from parenting and personality in adolescence.

In this person-centered study, we identified different profiles of resilience and vulnerability in emerging adulthood in response to previously experienced stressful life events. Additionally, we examined whether mothers' and fathers' parenting and participants' personality traits in adolescence predicted these profiles. Data from the Flemish Study on Parenting, Personality, and Development (N = 346 families) were used. At T1 (2004; Mage = 11 years), T2 (2007), and T3 (2009), mothers and fathers reported on their parenting and their child's personality. At T4 (2018; Mage = 25 years), emerging adults retrospectively self-reported the occurrence and impact of 22 stressful life events and rated current behavior problems and subjective well-being. Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles: Competent (71%; low stress, low behavior problems, high subjective well-being), Vulnerable (21%; average stress, high behavior problems, low subjective well-being), and Resilient (9%; high stress, average behavior problems, average subjective well-being). Emerging adults in the Resilient profile had experienced higher levels of maternal positive parenting and were less emotionally stable and conscientious than those in the Competent profile. Furthermore, emerging adults in the Vulnerable profile were less emotionally stable than their peers in the Competent profile. These findings reveal new insights into the heterogeneous patterns of emerging adults' adaptation following stressful life events.

Sexual dysfunction and disorders as a consequence of infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sexuality has a key impact on quality of life and on reproductive health. Infertility often results in sexual dysfunction. Despite this close association, addressing sexuality is not a standard component of infertility counselling, especially since in most countries sexual medicine is not a core element of specialist training. Even today, many doctors and patients consider discussing sexuality to be more challenging than other aspects of reproductive medicine. The present review addresses the complex consequences of infertility on sexuality. Our goals were: (i) to identify the prevalence of sexual problems resulting from infertility, (ii) to evaluate characteristics of sexual difficulties and disorders resulting from infertility and (iii) to analyse factors involved in the complex association between sexual problems and infertility. A systematic search for publications containing keywords related to sexual disorders and infertility was performed via PubMed, Web of Science and Psyndex. A total of 170 manuscripts published between January 1966 and April 2021 were identified after verification of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The reference lists in these manuscripts were searched for further relevant literature. Studies were reviewed for quality-related methodological details. Couples diagnosed with infertility have an increased risk of sexual disorders. Loss of sexual desire and erectile dysfunction are among the most frequent sexual disorders resulting from infertility. Currently available literature reflects only fragmentarily the complexity of the diverse interactions. Sexuality plays out against the backdrop of interactions among personal, cultural, infertility-related and sexuality-related factors. Considering this complexity, it is crucial to evaluate individual profiles as well as partnership interactions to avoid a negative impact of infertility on a couple's sexual life. Identifying sexual disorders as relevant considerations in the context of infertility and exploring their impact during the entire course of diagnosis and treatment constitute an important contribution to comprehensively care for the couples concerned. Counselling should focus on preventing the onset and aggravation of sexual disorders. As sexuality represents a major component of quality of life and of partnership, such support may improve not only the current overall wellbeing but also the chances of a satisfactory long-term partnership and family life.

Solving the income-happiness paradox

Easterlin notes a contradiction in the data. While the cross-sectional data set shows that happiness is a positive monotonic function of income, the time-series data set of high income countries demonstrates that happiness does not rise with the rise of income. To solve the paradox, this paper proposes that each data set reveals a different facet of happiness. The cross-sectional data set asks people how they assess their current well-being in general. This question prompts people to contrast their current well-being with a well-being in the distant past. This explains why happiness tracks income. In comparison, the time-series data ask people how they feel at the moment. This question prompts people to contrast their current well-being with an aspired goal in the future. Their response is a function of the gap that exists between their current well-being and the aspired one. The gap is usually steady for high income countries and, hence, happiness is likewise steady, i.e., insensitive to the rise of income. The proposed solution highlights the operation of contextual assessment: we have two facets of happiness following the two kinds of context in operation.

Child maltreatment and post-traumatic growth: Implications for the well-being of young adults

BackgroundLittle is known about the relationship between childhood maltreatment and well-being in young adults, including the role of post-traumatic growth (PTG) in promoting better outcomes for young adults who have a history of childhood maltreatment (HCM). ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between child maltreatment and well-being among young adults, by considering the perpetrator and the extent of the maltreatment, as well as PTG among young adults with a HCM. Participants and settingThe sample comprised 537 young adults (aged 18–25; M = 21.09 years, SD = 2.36) from across Australia, with 182 young adults in the sample forming the cohort with a HCM. MethodParticipants' current well-being, the extent of maltreatment by their mother, father and other adults experienced as a child (<18 years), and PTG was collected using an online survey. Tests of group differences and multiple regression were conducted to analyse the relationships between child maltreatment, PTG, and current well-being. ResultsMaltreatment by one's mother or father predicted poorer current well-being, but not maltreatment by another adult. Young adults who identified as having a HCM had poorer well-being than those who did not. Within the cohort of those with a HCM, greater PTG predicted greater well-being, and also mitigated the negative relationship between child maltreatment by one's father and well-being. ConclusionFindings indicate that both the extent of child maltreatment and the relationship to the perpetrator have implications for well-being among young adults. PTG appeared to play a protective role, highlighting the potential therapeutic benefit of fostering PTG to improve well-being among young adults with a HCM.

Leaving No One Behind: A Photovoice Case Study on Vulnerability and Wellbeing of Children Heading Households in Two Informal Settlements in Nairobi

Children heading households (CHH) in urban informal settlements face specific vulnerabilities shaped by limitations on their opportunities and capabilities within the context of urban inequities, which affect their wellbeing. We implemented photovoice research with CHHs to explore the intersections between their vulnerabilities and the social and environmental context of Nairobi’s informal settlements. We enrolled and trained four CHHs living in two urban informal settlements—Korogocho and Viwandani—to utilise smartphones to take photos that reflected their experiences of marginalisation and what can be done to address their vulnerabilities. Further, we conducted in-depth interviews with eight more CHHs. We applied White’s wellbeing framework to analyse data. We observed intersections between the different dimensions of wellbeing, which caused the CHHs tremendous stress that affected their mental health, social interactions, school performance and attendance. Key experiences of marginalisation were lack of adequate food and nutrition, hazardous living conditions and stigma from peers due to the limited livelihood opportunities available to them. Despite the hardships, we documented resilience among CHH. Policy action is required to take action to intervene in the generational transfer of poverty, both to improve the life chances of CHHs who have inherited their parents’ marginalisation, and to prevent further transfer of vulnerabilities to their children. This calls for investing in CHHs’ capacity for sustaining livelihoods to support their current and future independence and wellbeing.

Evaluation of service providers’ experiences and views on the mental health and wellbeing services for Syrian refugees in Warwickshire

Refugees have specific mental health and wellbeing needs as a result of multiple traumas experienced in their countries of origin, during their journey to the UK and the ongoing stressors following resettlement (Liebling et al., 2014). The main objective of this project was to explore service providers’ (SPs) experiences and views on the current mental health and wellbeing services provided for Syrian refugees in Warwickshire. Twenty-one SPs participated in a structured interview or questionnaire. SPs’ data was collated per area of interest and then coded. The areas of interest included nature of SPs’ work, source of funding, mental health needs of the Syrian refugee population and any additional mental health needs as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, how SPs are addressing the mental health needs, gaps in mental health provision and suggestions for addressing the gaps. The findings identify a range of mental health needs and specific challenges and gaps in current service provision. Recommendations for improvements, in addition to clinical implications are included in this report.

Retrospective and Concurrent Victimisation as Predictors of Social Self-Concept and Loneliness in First-Year University Students

Peer victimisation during school years has been found to significantly shape the way students perceive themselves and how they enter into relationships with peers, thus impacting students’ current and long-term wellbeing. However, victimisation has seldom been examined in university students. The present study aimed to investigate students’ current level of self-reported peer victimisation and perceived peer support and their retrospectively reported victimisation as predictors of their social self-concept and loneliness in their first year of university. First-year university students (N = 200; 26% male) participated in the study. The results indicated that retrospectively reported victimisation experiences during their years of schooling explained additional variance in social self-concept and loneliness beyond their concurrent peer experiences. These findings indicate that experiencing victimisation during school years could have consequences for students’ wellbeing that are not limited to the period of primary and secondary schooling, but can persist after their transition to university. Practical implications for the promotion of mental health in the higher education context are discussed.

Mature and Older Adults' Perception of Active Ageing and the Need for Supporting Services: Insights from a Qualitative Study.

The improvement in life expectancy, economic conditions, and technological and medical progress have radically changed the demographic structure of many societies. Since many countries now have an ageing population, by adopting a life-course study perspective, this paper aims to explore the needs of older adults (over 60), and the currently adult population which will become older in the coming decades (50–60 years). In detail, the study investigates the lifestyles of the target populations by focusing on two main areas concerning health (healthy diet; attitudes towards physical activity) and socio-relational-housing and living conditions (social housing, senior co-housing in rural environments, etc.). A qualitative study was carried out based on 16 in-depth interviews developed over one month (February 2022). The conduct of the interviews was supported by the Italian Center for Sensory Analysis (CIAS). Emerging from the results, the concept of active ageing is perceived by mature and older adults in a positive and optimistic way. The sample considered want to re-engage in life, continuing to be active, useful, and maintaining their self-esteem, social life and independence. However, despite older people’s major concerns being preserve their physical abilities and social integration, this target group adopts behaviours focused more on current well-being rather than worrying too much about how this well-being will change as they age.

Long COVID symptoms in SARS-CoV-2-positive children aged 0–14 years and matched controls in Denmark (LongCOVIDKidsDK): a national, cross-sectional study

BackgroundAfter the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, children can develop long COVID symptoms. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of long-lasting symptoms, the duration and intensity of symptoms, quality of life, number of sick days and absences from daycare or school, and psychological and social outcomes in children aged 0–14 years who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 relative to controls with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.MethodsA nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted including children with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2-positive PCR test (cases) and matched controls from Danish national registers. A survey was sent to mothers (proxy reporting) of children aged 0–14 years who had had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test between Jan 1, 2020, and July 12, 2021, and a control group matched (1:4) by age and sex. The survey included the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the Children's Somatic Symptoms Inventory-24 (CSSI-24) to capture current overall health and wellbeing, and ancillary questions about the 23 most common long COVID symptoms. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used. Clinically relevant differences were defined as those with a Hedges' g score greater than 0·2. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04786353).FindingsResponses to the survey were received from 10 997 (28·8%) of 38 152 cases and 33 016 (22·4%) of 147 212 controls between July 20, 2021, and Sept 15, 2021. Median age was 10·2 years (IQR 6·6–12·8) in cases and 10·6 years (6·9–12·9) in controls. 5267 (48·2%) cases and 15 777 (48·3%) controls were female, and 5658 (51·8%) cases and 16 870 (51·7%) controls were male. Cases had higher odds of reporting at least one symptom lasting more than 2 months than did controls in the 0–3 years age group (478 [40·0%] of 1194 vs 1049 [27·2%] of 3855; OR 1·78 [95% CI 1·55–2·04], p<0·0001), 4–11 years age group (1912 [38·1%] of 5023 vs 6189 [33·7%] of 18 372; 1·23 [1·15–1·31], p<0·0001), and 12–14 years age group (1313 [46·0%] of 2857 vs 4454 [41·3%] of 10 789; 1·21 [1·11–1·32], p<0·0001). Differences in CSSI-24 symptom scores between cases and controls were statistically significant but not clinically relevant. Small clinically relevant differences in PedsQL quality-of-life scores related to emotional functioning were found in favour of cases in the children aged 4–11 years (median score 80·0 [IQR 65·0–95·0]) in cases vs 75·0 [60·0–85·0] in controls; p<0·0001) and 12–14 years (90·0 [70·0–100·0] vs (85·0 [65·0–95·0], p<0·0001). PedsQL social functioning scores were also higher in cases (100·0 [90·0–100·0] than controls (95·0 [80·0–100·0]) in the 12–14 years age group (p<0·0001; Hedges g>0·2).InterpretationCompared with controls, children aged 0–14 years who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection had more prevalent long-lasting symptoms. There was a tendency towards better quality-of-life scores related to emotional and social functioning in cases than in controls in older children. The burden of symptoms among children in the control group requires attention. Long COVID must be recognised and multi-disciplinary long COVID clinics for children might be beneficial.FundingA P Møller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation.

Kumusta ka? Challenges, mental health and well-being assessment among DNSC employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

The study aimed to identify the work challenges encountered by the employees due to the pandemic, their current depression, anxiety, stress, mental well-being, and perception of the institution’s capacity to manage the current crisis and mental healthcare needs. Online surveys were utilized as a method. The results revealed that the top on the list of the work challenges encountered by most of the employees due to the pandemic was: internet connection, too many distractions at home, balancing work and personal life, general anxiety of getting infected, and technology-based communication like virtual meetings, while for teaching personnel doing modules, checking and monitoring students and conducting online classes were among their concerns. Out of 73 sample population, 64% were at normal level, 36% were at mild to extreme levels in depression subscale. About 58% were at the normal level for the anxiety subscale while 42% fell on the mild to extreme levels. For the stress subscale, 23% were mild to severe, and the rest were on a normal level. As to the wellbeing level, 22% of the samples were in the low level, 67% were in the average, and 11% were in the high level. Though most of the employees were confident towards the institution’s leaders in handling the crisis, they still felt worried about the impact of the pandemic on the institution. The employees strongly agreed on the necessity of the presence of mental health professionals in the institution and suggested conducting debriefing/processing to ease the mental and psychological burden brought by this pandemic.