Mental Health Consequences Research Articles

Understanding educational attainment disparities in Northern Ireland: the impact of pupils’ demographic characteristics and health status on post-primary outcomes.

Across the UK, attainment disparities remain at the forefront of education and policy debates. This is particularly evident in Northern Ireland (NI), which although is a jurisdiction of the UK, reflects a different context due to its transition to a post-conflict society and its dually selective education system (academically and religiously). In NI, post-primary attainment disparities have been reported according to pupil characteristics such as gender and socio-economic background. However, due to the lack of available data, there is limited evidence examining the influence of the health status of pupils on their educational outcomes. This study examines the influence of a pupil’s socio-demographic profile, health status, and school-level factors on post-primary attainment, using a linked administrative dataset that combined the household Census (2011), School Census (2010-2014) and School Leavers Survey (2010-2014) for the first time. Multilevel modelling and interactions terms were conducted to consider the relative effects of physical health and mental health on attainment. In addition, the study presents a holistic approach to understanding the association between health status and education outcomes by considering self-reported health status, the presence of an illness that limits daily activities, and the presence of a physical and mental health condition. The findings highlight that poor physical and mental health have negative associations with post-primary attainment in NI. More specifically, pupils reporting bad health, a physical or mental health condition and a limiting illness that affects their daily activities have lower educational attainment outcomes than those with no markers of ill-health (physically or mentally).

Does maternal education moderate the relationship between adolescent cannabis use and mental health in early adulthood?

Socioeconomic disadvantage has been associated with cannabis use and poor mental health. It is therefore hypothesised that lower maternal education, a proxy for socioeconomic disadvantage, may increase the risk of cannabis-related mental health and substance use consequences. A total of 5099 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children reported cannabis use via questionnaires at 16 or 18. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between any and regular (weekly or more) adolescent cannabis use with depression, anxiety, psychotic experiences, and problematic cannabis use at age 24. Maternal education was included as an effect modifier. Missing data were addressed through multiple imputation using chained equations. In total, 36.5% of participants reported adolescent cannabis use and, of these, 14% reported regular use. Adolescent cannabis use was associated with an increased likelihood of anxiety and problematic cannabis use; however, there was little evidence of moderation by maternal education. Regular cannabis use was associated with an increased likelihood of problematic cannabis use, with little evidence of moderation by maternal education. There was weak evidence that the association between regular cannabis use and depression (interaction p-value = 0.024) and anxiety (interaction p-value = 0.056) was stronger in people with high maternal education. Adolescent cannabis use is associated with increased risk of anxiety and cannabis use disorder, but there was insufficient evidence that childhood socioeconomic position (proxied by maternal education) modifies this relationship. Improved public health messages for all adolescents about these risks may be warranted.

COVID-19 and mental health consequences: moving forward

COVID-19 and mental health consequences: moving forward

Debt Collection Pressure and Mental Health: Evidence from a Cohort of U.S. Young Adults.

The debt collection industry in the United States has grown in tandem with rising indebtedness. Prior research on debt and mental health mainly treats debt as a resource and liability rather than a power relationship between creditors and debtors. We study the mental health consequences of debt collection pressure using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1997 Cohort (N = 7,236). Drawing on stress theory and health power resources theory, we posit collection pressure as a relational stressor that undermines well-being through negative interactions with debt collectors, financial strain, role strain, and stigma. We find that more than one out of every three young adults in this cohort faced debt collection pressure by around age 40, with higher rates among low-income and Black young adults. Individual fixed-effects and lagged dependent variable regression models indicate that debt collection pressure is associated with increased psychological distress, with more severe consequences among low-income young adults.

A study on the effect of mental health on dream intensity among urban village residents.

A study on the effect of mental health on dream intensity among urban village residents.

Heart Transplantation and Left Ventricular Assist Devices: Long-Term Prognosis and Effects on Mental Health.

Heart transplantation and left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have emerged as crucial interventions for end-stage heart failure, dramatically improving patient outcomes. This narrative review examines their historical context, indications, procedures, and outcomes, as well as their impact on long-term survival, quality of life, functional status, and mental health. While heart transplantation remains the optimal treatment, donor scarcity limits its application. LVADs have become a viable alternative, either as a bridge to transplantation or as destination therapy. Both interventions demonstrate similar long-term survival rates and significant improvements in health-related quality of life and functional status. However, they present distinct long-term management challenges, including immunosuppression needs for transplant recipients and device-related issues for LVAD patients. Mental health effects are considerable, necessitating psychological support and adaptive coping strategies. Complications such as infection, bleeding, and thrombosis remain concerns for both interventions. Patient selection criteria, technological advancements, and long-term management strategies are critical factors in optimizing outcomes. Future research should focus on device miniaturization, enhanced biocompatibility, and less invasive insertion techniques to further advance these therapies and improve patient care in end-stage heart failure.

Regular Mobile Phone Use and Incident Cardiovascular Diseases: Mediating Effects of Sleep Patterns, Psychological Distress, and Neuroticism.

The relationship between mobile phone use and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) is uncertain. We aimed to examine the association of regular mobile phone use with incident CVD and explore the mediating effects of sleep and mental health. A total of 444,027 individuals from the UK Biobank without a history of CVD were included. Regular mobile phone use was defined as at least 1 call per week. Weekly mobile phone usage time was self-reported as the average time of calls per week over the previous 3 months. The primary outcome was incident CVD. The secondary outcomes included each component of CVD and increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). We applied Cox proportional hazard models to assess the association between mobile phone use and incident CVD, and mediation analyses to investigate the role of sleep patterns, psychologic distress, and neuroticism. In a median follow-up period of 12.3 years, 56,181 individuals developed incident CVD. Compared with nonregular mobile phone users, regular mobile phone users had a significantly higher risk of incident CVD (hazard ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.06) and increased CIMT (odds ratio 1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.18). Among regular mobile phone users, weekly mobile phone usage time was positively associated with the risk of incident CVD, especially in current smokers (P for interaction= 0.001) and diabetic individuals (P for interaction= 0.037). Of the relationship between weekly mobile phone usage time and incident CVD, 5.11% was mediated by sleep patterns, 11.5% by psychological distress, and 2.25% by neuroticism. Weekly mobile phone usage time was positively associated with incident CVD risk, which was partly explained by poor sleep, psychologic distress, and neuroticism.

The challenge of identifying family carers in general practice at an early stage and measuring their burden: A scoping review of possible tools and their actual use.

Informal care, provided unpaid by family members or friends is a crucial source for providing care at home due to chronic illnesses, disability, or long-lasting health issues. An increasing burden on informal carers largely determines the already proven negative mental and physical health effects. General practitioners are usually responsible for recognizing the effects of persistent burdens on informal carers at an early stage to maintain a functional caring relationship by providing individual support. A scoping review was conducted in four databases (PubMed, LIVIVO, Cochrane Library, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL]) until July 31, 2023, to identify studies describing the actual use of tools to identify informal care and measure the burden due to informal care. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines were followed to select studies. A total of 5.686 references were identified, and 59 potentially eligible articles were assessed for inclusion, resulting in the inclusion of five studies published between 2009 and 2019. Instruments were primarily used to measure burden after an intervention; only one study focused on instruments to identify carers in general practice. This review highlights the need for a tool to identify informal carers in general practice, but it is important to consider practice-specific processes and settings. Future research should take a proactive approach to testing, modifying, and implementing an assessment and optimizing framework conditions. A follow-up project should be initiated to evaluate the effectiveness of an adapted identification tool on the burden and health of family carers.

Economic Disparities, Life Events, and the Gender Mental Health Gap

This paper studies factors explaining the gender mental health gap using Australian data. We show that men have significantly higher mean outcomes and the left tail of the combined distribution is disproportionately female. Using regression-based decompositions, we examine the degree that both socioeconomic inequalities and life experience account for this phenomenon. We find that disparities in income play a substantial role, and subject to an assumption of exogeneity, would be enough to account for the gender gap amongst individuals with very poor psychological wellbeing. We also examine the mental health effects of various negative life experience, such as the death of a family member or being a victim of violence. At the individual level, these variables have large effect sizes but are not strongly correlated with gender to explain our mental health disparities.

Mental health of nursing students regarding the Moroccan earthquake: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveIn addition to the economic and social impact, mental health issues are one of health needs during natural disaster such as earthquake. Thus, surveillance for mental health variables is crucial for public health planning. Nursing students as professional students may be particularly vulnerable to adverse mental health effects after an earthquake because of their potential role in emergency response and the challenges associated with providing medical care in crisis conditions. The aim of this research was to assess the mental health of students after six months of the Moroccan earthquake and associated factors. MethodA cross-sectional survey of student nurses was conducted on March 2024; six months after the Moroccan earthquake in front to 261 students using class sampling method. Three validated psychometric measures, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PCL-C), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were used to assess the nursing student mental health after Moroccan earthquake. ResultsAnxiety, Depression, Stress and abnormal post-traumatic stress rank was present respectively in 44.8%, 37.1%, 7.7%, 61.3% of participants. However, a minority of students obtained the high resilience score (13.8%). The results showed that the DAS scale correlated negatively with age (p = 0.034). Furthermore, the female gender, 3rd grade students (as final year for the nursing diploma) and those who had lost a family member in the natural disaster obtained higher medians with a significant difference in the DAS scale score (p < 0.05). The post-traumatic stress scale was only affected by material damage (p = 0.044). However, the high level of scores resilience obtained significantly for students living with their families. In contrast, no association between the mental health of nursing students and attending the phenomenon or living near earthquake foci. ConclusionThis study has demonstrated the crucial need to train healthcare providers in emotion management in the event of a natural disaster, and to launch a priori initiatives, particularly with regard to the mental health of students in health universities, in order to prepare them psychologically for any intervention in the case of an alert.

The effect of physical activity and mental health on chewing discomfort in the age group 40 to 64: using the 2022 Community Health Survey Data

The effect of physical activity and mental health on chewing discomfort in the age group 40 to 64: using the 2022 Community Health Survey Data

Long-Term Mandatory Homeschooling during COVID-19 Had Compounding Mental Health Effects on Parents and Children.

Most studies have linked mandatory homeschooling during COVID-19 to mental health harm in parents and children, while a minority have found non-significant or beneficial effects. Past studies have not measured mandatory homeschooling continuously over an extended period; consequently, they could not capture compounding mental health effects, which may explain conflicting results. We asked whether children's cumulative time spent homeschooled during COVID-19 school closure mandates caused compounding harm for parent and child mental health, and whether parent employment, child internet access and educational support from schools (live and pre-recorded online classes, home learning packs) impacted this relationship. We aimed to identify the families at greatest risk of mental health harm during mandatory homeschooling and the educational support that may have mitigated this risk. Couples completed retrospective, cross-sectional survey questionnaires assessing parent depression, anxiety and stress, child internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and the family's homeschooling experience. Data were analyzed using mediation analysis total effects, ordinary least squares regression and simple slopes analysis. Both parents and children experienced compounding mental health harm during mandatory homeschooling. Live online classes protected parents and children, while home learning packs protected children. Unexpectedly, reliable internet access and the employment of both parents placed children at greater risk. Findings suggest that long-term mandatory homeschooling during COVID-19 placed families at greater risk of mental health harm. To protect family mental health during homeschooling mandates, schools should provide children with evidence-based educational support.

Mental Health Effects of COVID-19 Among Health Care Providers: A Case Study of Kalulushi General Hospital in Kalulushi District, Zambia

Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease which was first identified in Wuhan a City in the Peoples Republic of China in December 2019. The aim of this study was to establish the mental health effects of COVID 19 on the frontline health care providers at Kalulushi General Hospital in Kalulushi district of Zambia. A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed to assess the mental health effects of COVID 19 on the frontline health care providers at Kalulushi General Hospital in Zambia. The study used simple random sampling technique to select 122 respondents to participate in the study. Data was collected from study participants using structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 and MS excel and was presented using tables, bar charts and pie charts. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between socio-demographic characteristics and mental health effects of COVID-19 parameters. The ethical approval was gotten from Lusaka Apex Medical University Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, Kalulushi General Hospital and Kalulushi District Health Office respectively. The study revealed that, most of the respondents (31%) were afraid of contracting COVID-19, while 27% of study participants claimed that COVID 19 was a propaganda and that no one knew when it would end. The study also found that, a small proportion of study participants reported a decline in work morale (17%), likely associated with witnessing numerous deaths (19%) and the added stress of inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) experienced by 15%. The study further demonstrated that 58% of the respondents accepted that working in a COVID-19 environment affected their mental health while 42% of the respondents did not accept that working in the COVID-19 environment did affect mental health of frontline healthcare providers. The study further revealed that, most of the respondents were using handwashing or sanitizers, facemasks and protective clothing (27%) to cope with COVID-19 pandemic. The study also showed that, a few respondents were practicing social distancing (22%), and having healthy diet (19%) in order to cope with COVID-19. Marital status and religion were found to have significant association with copying strategies of frontline healthcare providers against COVID-19 pandemic at Kalulushi General Hospital in Kalulushi District of Zambia (P &amp;lt; 0.05). WHO, CDC, and Zambian Ministry of Health should prioritize implementing Critical Incident Stress Management protocols, develop culturally sensitive mobile applications to offer self-guided interventions, and promote healthy coping mechanisms among frontline healthcare providers.

Perceived discrimination and mental health among female migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study.

Female migrant domestic workers (MDW), often unemployed in their home country, are household workers that migrate abroad for better wages. Although poor employment conditions have shown detrimental effects on MDWs health, the mental health effect of perceived discrimination remains understudied among MDWs. This mixed-methods study seeks to (a) assess the association between perceived discrimination and mental health among female MDWs and (b) explore in-depth the common ways MDWs experience discrimination. A cross-sectional self-administered survey (n = 1965) was conducted among Filipino and Indonesian MDWs from August 2020 to August 2021 in Hong Kong. A multivariable logistic regression model, controlling for background characteristics, assessed associations between perceived discrimination with anxiety and depression. Qualitative semistructured interviews were then conducted (n = 20) to provide in-depth information about perceived discrimination. Thematic analysis was used to identify the contexts and types of discrimination experienced. Among survey respondents, 60.4% reported ever experiencing discrimination, and 10.5% reported often/always feeling discriminated against. Of MDWs, 18.1% and 31.5% were classified with anxiety and depression, respectively. MDWs reporting higher frequency of discrimination were at increased risk of anxiety (ORadj: 2.30-6.60) and depression (ORadj: 2.06-5.91). In-depth interviews revealed that perceived discrimination inside the workplace (from overwork, lack of autonomy, and employer-imposed restrictions) and outside the workplace (from MDW policies) had strong effects on MDWs' mental health. Increased availability to mental health services should be considered. To improve MDW mental health, policymakers may also regulate maximum weekly working hours and ensure minimum standards for living environments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychosocial consequences of growing up as Austrian occupation children in post-World-War II Austria

ABSTRACT Background: During the post-World War II occupation of Austria, approximately 20,000–30,000 ‘children born of war’ (CBOW), also called occupation children were born through intimate contacts between Austrian women and occupation soldiers. Research on other CBOW populations indicates that CBOW mostly grow up under difficult conditions, sometimes with strong long-term mental health consequences. Objective: To examine whether comparable psychosocial consequences can be found in Austrian occupation children (AOC), a first quantitative study was carried out. Method: Child maltreatment, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and somatization, and general life satisfaction were assessed in a sample of 98 AOC using self-report instruments. Results were compared to a sample of German occupation children (GOC; N = 146). Results: High prevalence of above threshold full (10.2%) and partial (14.3%) PTSD, somatic (16.3%) and depressive (11.1%) symptomatology were found in AOC. They were at high risk of child maltreatment (e.g. emotional abuse: 53.6%), which was associated with current symptomatology. Notably, AOC tended to report high levels of general life satisfaction. No differences were found between GOC and AOC. Conclusions: Findings highlight the complex and long-term effects of developmental conditions and childhood maltreatment on mental health of CBOW, even decades later. Findings of high life satisfaction provide evidence of resilience and maturation processes across the lifespan.

Chemical exposure from the Hebei spirit oil spill accident and its long-term effects on mental health

While evidence indicates that exposure to oil spill incidents can affect mental health, it is unclear whether the mental health effects result from the incident itself or from exposure to associated chemicals. Oil contains chemicals that can impact mental health and these chemicals may have long-term effects due to their persistence in the environment. To address the gap in current knowledge, we conducted cross-sectional and prospective analyses of data from adults who participated in the Health Effects of the Hebei Spirit Oil Spill study. To assess chemical exposure from oil spills, we used indirect exposure indicators such as distance from the contaminated oil band to residences and duration of clean-up work, along with direct exposure indicators such as urine metabolite concentrations of volatile organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Mental health assessments covered posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, state anxiety, and trait anxiety. In the cross-sectional analyses, all four mental health issues were found to be associated with proximity to the oil band (p-value<0.05) and showed a positive association with clean-up work duration (p-value<0.05). Cox regression analysis revealed that higher urinary t, t-muconic acid levels were associated with an increased risk of depression (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.55, 95 % Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.05–2.28), and elevated 1-hydroxypyrene levels increased the risk of PTSD (HR = 1.60, 95 % CI = 1.03–2.48). Additionally, higher urinary 2-naphthol levels were associated with increased state anxiety (HR = 1.39, 95 % CI = 1.00–1.93) and trait anxiety (HR = 1.64, 95 % CI = 1.15–2.32). These associations persisted even after controlling for distance and duration variables related to psychosocial exposure. Our findings suggest that environmental disaster response plans should prioritize minimizing chemical exposure while also considering the duration and nature of the mental health impacts.

Unveiling the effects of energy poverty on mental health of children in energy-poor countries

While existing literature extensively investigates the adverse effects of energy poverty on physical health, exploring its impacts on the mental well-being of school-aged children (5–14 years old) remain underexplored, particularly in the energy-deprived regions of South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. This research aims to bridge this gap by delving into the indirect pathways through which energy poverty influences the mental health of these children, explicitly examining anxiety and depression, with a particular focus on child abuse as a potential mediating factor. This study employs comprehensive data at both the country level, covering 52 energy-poor nations from 2000 to 2019, and the household level, covering 18 energy-poor nations. This study utilizes a two-step system generalized method of moment approach to unveil the significant relationships between energy poverty and heightened levels of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, the study employs advanced statistical methods to analyze household-level data, including multilevel logistic regression, Probit instrumental regression models, and mediation analysis. These analyses confirm a robust association between energy poverty and an increased likelihood of anxiety and depression among school-aged children. The study also uncovers a concerning link between energy poverty and child abuse, emphasizing its role as a contributing factor to adverse mental health outcomes in children. The findings of this study offer critical insights for policymakers, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions and policies aimed at alleviating the adverse mental health effects of energy poverty on children. By addressing this issue, policymakers can contribute to fostering children's overall well-being and development in energy-poor regions.

Climate crisis and psychiatry

The climate crisis is increasingly leading to negative consequences for mental health and is of growing importance for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care. The effects of the climate crisis on mental health and its significance for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care are presented. Recommendations for sustainability in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic practice are provided. Anarrative review of the literature was conducted for this article. The climate crisis has direct, indirect and intersectional negative effects on mental health. Sustainable and preventive recommendations for the practice include promoting health literacy, faster access to psychotherapy and online counselling, supporting social networks, promoting employment and reducing poverty, homelessness and social isolation. It is recommended to increase the proportion of outpatient care and to streamline administrative processes. The use of disposable products should be minimized and the application of instrumental diagnostics and materials should be optimized according to guidelines. Digital interventions should be considered more frequently in the clinical practice and sustainable facility management should be improved. Access to green spaces for the general population and patients should be facilitated. Due to the negative impact of the climate crisis on mental health, sustainability should be promoted in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care.

Target mechanisms of mindfulness-based programmes and practices: a scoping review

QuestionMindfulness-based programmes (MBPs) and practices have demonstrated effects in mental health and well-being, yet questions regarding the target mechanisms that drive change across the population remain unresolved.Study selection and analysisFive...

The 6Ps of Preparing a Manuscript: Prior Preparation Prevents Potentially Poor Performance.

The process of writing a scientific document, whether it be a PhD thesis, a paper, review, chapter, book or even a book series, always begins with only one word. Why can writing a manuscript be so difficult to start? If there are sufficient data for the task, there is only one reason; vacillation. To address this serious and psychologically debilitating issue, this perspective will discuss the ethos of publishing and provide a solution for vacillation. The concept of sufficient novel data will be examined along with the criteria for identifying an appropriate home for a manuscript. The bare process of preparation will be described, which ultimately relies on discipline, routine, formatting and further discipline, with the ultimate goal being the production and quality control of a manuscript of the highest quality that you can achieve. The value of the secondary literature, namely reviews, chapters and books will be highlighted, specifically with regard to the building of a reputation and leaving a lasting legacy. The psychology of publishing, particularly dealing with success and failure will be covered, as this topic is often overlooked, and can have serious and deleterious mental health consequences. A balanced view of publication metrics will be given, showing that such factors are in some cases, purely a business strategy for publishing houses. Ideas to build one's career through networking, reviewing and being an ambassador for one's discipline are also given. As a former member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Natural Products (2018-2022), an overview of the manuscript writing process from a personal and professional perspective is emphasized to encourage all to avoid the trials and tribulations of procrastination.