General Health Questionnaire Scores Research Articles

The relationship between lifestyle, mental health and attitude towards addiction: behavioral-chemical and social study among the students in Semnan University of Medical Sciences

World Health Organization (WHO) has defined mental health as the ability to communicate with others, modify one’s personal and social environment, and resolve personal conflicts. Mental health disorders are often associated with substance abuse. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between lifestyle, mental health and attitude towards addiction. In this cross-sectional study, the subjects were selected through stratified random sampling from the students of the School of Allied Medical Sciences, in 2020. The sample size consisted of 179 first-year students. Four questionnaires, including a demographic questionnaire, Goldberg’s General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Lifestyle Questionnaire (LSQ), and the attitude towards addiction questionnaire, were used to collect data. The results of the GHQ showed that 76.5% of the students had a favorable general health. The LSQ score was good in 92.7% of the students, with the highest and lowest mean scores pertaining to the domains of adverse event prevention and exercise-wellbeing, respectively. There was a negative and significant association between the GHQ scores and the LSQ scores and lifestyle was a predictive variable for the students' general health. Given that lifestyle seems to be able to predict the general health of students, it is necessary to pay further attention to the various aspects of lifestyle, especially exercise and health. The universities should devise plans that direct changes of this life stage toward an appropriate route. This acculturation and education should not be limited to educational environments; rather, they should also be extended to the family level.

Effectiveness of Self-Help Plus in Preventing Mental Disorders in Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Western Europe: A Multinational Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Self-Help Plus (SH+) is a group-based psychological intervention developed by the World Health Organization for managing stress. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of SH+ in preventing mental disorders in refugees and asylum seekers in Western Europe. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial in 5 European countries. Refugees and asylum seekers with psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire score ≥3), but without a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) or ICD/10 diagnosis of mental disorder, as assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), were randomized to SH+ or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU). The primary outcome was the frequency of mental disorders with the MINI at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included the frequency of mental disorders at postintervention, self-identified problems, psychological symptoms, and other outcomes. Results: Four hundred fifty-nine individuals were randomly assigned to SH+ or ETAU. For the primary outcome, we found no difference in the frequency of mental disorders at 6 months (Cramer V = 0.007, p = 0.90, RR = 0.96; 95% CI 0.52–1.78), while the difference significantly favored SH+ at after the intervention (secondary outcome, measured within 2 weeks from the last session; Cramer V = 0.13, p = 0.01, RR = 0.50; 95% CI 0.29–0.87). Conclusions: This is the first randomized indicated prevention study with the aim of preventing the onset of mental disorders in asylum seekers and refugees in Western Europe. As a prevention effect of SH+ was not observed at 6 months, but rather after the intervention only, modalities to maintain its beneficial effect in the long term need to be identified.

Quality of life and other psychological factors in patients with tooth wear.

Aim To investigate the relationship between generic and condition-specific (CS) quality of life, general psychological wellbeing and personality in patients with tooth wear.Materials and methods Ethical approval was granted (REC:10/H0709/21). Patients aged 18-70 years with tooth wear completed the Oral Impact on Daily Performance (OIDP) quality of life questionnaire, the NEO-FFI Personality questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ). Tooth wear was measured with the Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE).Results In total, 102 subjects were recruited. Increased BEWE scores were correlated with older age and worse generic and CS-related quality of life. Increased neuroticism was correlated with increased: generic and CS OIDP scores; generic and CS eating scores; CS smiling scores; and CS carrying out major work scores. Increased GHQ scores were positively correlated with increased: generic and CS OIDP scores; generic and CS eating scores; CS speaking scores; generic and CS cleaning scores; generic relaxing scores; generic and CS smiling scores; and generic emotional state scores (p <0.05). Multivariable linear regression analyses showed that increased neuroticism and decreased GHQ both had an independent effect on generic and CS OIDP scores when adjusted for tooth wear severity (p <0.05).Conclusion Quality of life perception is complex and was not only affected by worsening levels of tooth wear.

Mental Health Crisis and Stress Coping among Healthcare College Students Momentarily Displaced from Their Campus Community Because of COVID-19 Restrictions in Japan.

College students are one of the most affected groups by self-quarantine due to COVID-19, as they may live in loneliness and anxiety, increasing their risk of mental health crisis. This study aimed to identify risk factors for poor mental health and stress coping strategies among healthcare college students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted over 7 consecutive days starting on 28 April 2020 using a web-based questionnaire. The survey assessed socioeconomic characteristics and the General Health Questionnaire-12 score, self-reported health status, anxiety, and satisfaction with daily life, work, leisure, and new activities. Approximately 70% of 223 respondents had poor mental health. Less communication with friends was the main risk factor for mental health problems. Good health status and satisfaction with leisure and new activities were associated with reduced risk of mental health problems. Students with poor mental health tended to seek social support as a stress coping strategy. This study showed that the mental health of students declined during self-quarantine, and loneliness could be the major reason. There is a need for a new form of communication and learning that deals with the isolation and loneliness of students, especially for students living alone.

The psychological impact of deprivation in regions affected by conflict: a multilevel analysis of a cross-sectional survey in the occupied Palestinian territory

BackgroundDeprivation is an important determinant of poor health. Locality can be key in understanding variation in deprivation across a population. This study aimed to analyse how different forms of deprivation affect mental health among Palestinians, and how they account for locality effects in the occupied Palestinian territory. MethodsWe used multilevel modelling to analyse data from the Socio-Economic & Food Security Survey 2014 conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, which had a sample size of 7827 adults representing the same number of households. The main outcome is a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) score, in which a higher score signifies worse mental health. Deprivation variables include subjective deprivation, material deprivation, food deprivation, and political deprivation (which was measured by use of the human insecurity scale). For the analysis, we included data on experience of different stressors (economic, political, health-related, and weather-related stress) reported at the household level in the 6 months preceding the survey, and we controlled for demographic characteristics, including age, gender, education, wealth, and region. We also conducted a two-level random effects multilevel regression, with locality as a proxy for neighbourhood. FindingsThe model indicates significant variance at the locality (neighbourhood) level. There is a significant association between poor mental health and subjective, economic, political, and food deprivation; health, economic, and political stressors; age, and being a woman. Education beyond secondary school level and wealth have a significant inverse association with poor mental health. Individuals who indicated that they felt somewhat or very deprived have significantly higher GHQ scores than individuals who indicated that they did not feel deprived (β=1·73 and 4·33 for those who felt deprived and who did not feel deprived, respectively, p<0·0001). Food consumption was inversely associated with GHQ score (β=−0·01, p<0·0001) and food insecurity was positively associated with GHQ score (β=0·19, p<0·0001). Political deprivation, and health-related, political, and economic stressors were significantly positively associated with GHQ scores (β=0·043, 0·23, 0·35, and 0·19 respectively, p<0·0001). Age (β=0·079, p<0·0001) and being a woman were positively associated with GHQ score (β=0·26, p=0·0040), whereas education beyond secondary school level was inversely associated with GHQ score (β=−0·54, p<0·0001). InterpretationThe findings that the mental health of Palestinians is associated with various forms of deprivation and stressors, provide further evidence that political and social factors are determinants of health. Correlated factors include both subjective and objective measures, and suggest that although material conditions are important, people's subjective experiences are also important. Feeling deprived is an important correlate of mental health. The community effect suggests that services (or lack thereof), checkpoints and blockades, political situations, and other factors that vary across localities, may influence mental health issues at the neighbourhood level. FundingThis project is part of the study “Re-conceptualising health in wars and conflicts: a new focus on deprivation and suffering” funded by the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Association Between Perceived Social Support and Mental Health Status Among Older Adults

Introduction: The elderly need social support to reduce their physical and mental disabilities. Perceived social support is one of the effective factors in the lifestyle of older adults. Objective: This study aimed to determine the association between perceived social support and mental health status among older adults. Materials and Methods: This research is a cross-sectional analytical study. The study data were collected using a perceived social support (PSS) scale and general health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). A total of 302 eligible older adults were selected through a random sampling method from primary health centers in the north, south, east, west, and center of Tehran. The inclusion criteria were those community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years and with normal cognitive abilities. The collected data were analyzed using t test, ANOVA, the Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regressions. Results: The mean ±SD age of older adults was 70.01 ±6.29 years. Their mean ±SD scores of the PSS and GHQ-12 were 130.95 ±16.05 and 7.29 ±5.55, respectively. The results showed no significant relationship between demographic variables and PSS. There was a significant inverse correlation between the PSS score and the GHQ-12 score (P= 0.01, r= -0.878). The PSS explained 0.66 of the total variances of “positively phrased items” of GHQ-12 (adjusted R2= 0.66) and 0.76 of the total variances of “negatively phrased items” of GHQ-12 (adjusted R2= 0.76). Conclusion: Our findings showed that the PSS and mental health are at a desirable level in this study, and the PSS is not affected by demographic variables. The PSS is a promoting factor for mental health status among older adults.

English

BACKGROUND Tooth discoloration, which is often considered as a deviation from the beauty standards, is one of the significant factors that can affect an individual's mental health and well-being. Therefore, determining the relationship between tooth discoloration, its aesthetic treatment and mental health can provide answers for the improvement of treatment services. METHODS The present study is a cross sectional study. 96 participants meeting the inclusion criteria were assessed via demographic characteristics form and a standardized Goldberg’s general health questionnaire (GHQ) - 28 before starting the treatment. Following the assessment, a standard bleaching protocol was followed. Two weeks after the completion of the treatment, the patients were re-assessed using the same questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software. The analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and chi square test for correlation analysis. Wilcoxon sign rank test was used to compare the scores before and after the intervention. RESULTS Higher GHQ scores were associated with younger age groups, females, unmarried persons, and lower education levels. The participants mainly showed higher mean social dysfunction scores (17.7), followed by anxiety scores (12.2) compared to somatic (7.7) and depression scores (4). The mean total GHQ scores were significantly decreased after aesthetic intervention. The mean GHQ scores were reduced from 42.5 before the bleaching treatment to 21.4 post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS Tooth discoloration showed a significant impact on mental health, mainly affecting the social functioning and the anxiety of the individuals. Tooth discoloration has a significant impact on the mental health in younger age groups, females, unmarried persons, and education status. The aesthetic intervention had significantly improved the overall mental health of the individuals. KEYWORDS GHQ, Mental Health, Tooth Discoloration

Assessing the perceived changes in neighborhood physical and social environments and how they are associated with Chinese internal migrants\u2019 mental health

BackgroundMigrants experience substantial changes in their neighborhood physical and social environments along their migration journeys, but little is known about how perceived changes in their neighborhood environment pre- and post-migration correlate with their mental health. Our aim was to examine the associations between recalled changes in the perceived neighborhood physical and social environments and migrants’ mental health in the host city.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data on 591 migrants in Shenzhen, China. We assessed their risk of mental illness using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Neighborhood perceptions were collected retrospectively pre- and post-migration. We used random forests to analyze possibly non-linear associations between GHQ scores and changes in the neighborhood environment, variable importance, and for exploratory analysis of variable interactions.ResultsPerceived changes in neighborhood aesthetics, safety, and green space were non-linearly associated with migrants’ mental health: A decline in these characteristics was associated with poor mental health, while improvements in them were unrelated to mental health benefits. Variable importance showed that change in safety was the most influential neighborhood characteristic, although individual-level characteristics—such as self-reported physical health, personal income, and hukou (i.e., the Chinese household registration system)—appeared to be more important to explain GHQ scores and also strongly interacted with other variables. For physical health, we found different associations between changes in the neighborhood provoked by migration and mental health.ConclusionOur findings suggest that perceived degradations in the physical environment are related to poorer post-migration mental health. In addition, it seems that perceived changes in the neighborhood environment play a minor role compared to individual-level characteristics, in particular migrants’ physical health condition. Replication of our findings in longitudinal settings is needed to exclude reverse causality.

Not so healthy, not so comfortable: Health anxiety in people living with HIV and its relationship to quality of life and psychosocial functioning

Background: People living with Human Immundeficiency Virus (PLWH) are often inclined to attribute their bodily sensations to HIV (Human Immundeficiency Virus) without considering those as malign or benign. Thus, it’s thought that health anxiety may be high in these individuals. We aim to determine the levels of health anxiety in PLWH and its relation with quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Methods: PLWH, Type-I diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and healthy individuals were included. CD4+T lymphocytes counts and HbA1C values were obtained. Sociodemographic data form, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI), Social Adaptation Self Evaluation Scale (SASS), SF-36 QoL Form, Beck Depression and Beck Anxiety Scale (BDI, BAI) were applied to subjects. Comparisons and regression analyzes were made. Results: Total of 228 subjects were included in study. Health anxiety levels in HIV group were higher than control groups. SASS scores were not different than in Type-I DM group’s scores, whereas the BDI, BAI, and GHQ scores were worse in the HIV group than in the other groups. There was a significant difference in the QoL between healthy controls and HIV group. CD4+ T lymphocyte count had the highest explanotory power for the psychometric scores. Conclusions: PLWH have higher health anxiety than controls. Psychosocial functioning and QoL are impaired in people with high health anxiety levels. CD4+ T lymphocyte count is strongest explanatory factor on almost every subscale. The disease itself seems to disrupt the quality of life and psychosocial harmony beyond the psychological picture it creates.

Effect of Abstinence on Psychological Distress Scores, Social Dysfunction Scores, Total General Health Questionnaire Scores-12, and Total Quality of Life Scores in Men with Methamphetamine Dependence in Therapeutic Community

AIM: We looked for differences in abstinence influence on Psychological Distress Scores, Social Dysfunction Scores, Total General Health Questionnaire – 12 (GHQ-12), and Total Quality of Life Scores on men with Methamphetamine dependence in the Therapeutic Community. METHODS: This study was conducted a numerical comparative analytical analysis paired with twice measurements with subject retrieval done using consecutive sampling. The participant of this study was 47 subjects who selected by inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Found psychological distress score of the abuser was p ˂ 0.001, different with social dysfunction score there was no significant difference where the score was p = 0.062, the total GHQ-12 score was a significant difference where the score was p = 0.025 while in the total quality of life score (SF-36) there was a significant difference with the score of p ˂ 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: After abstinence, quarantine was found to improve attitude, behavior, cognitive, and social function such as appropriate communication and active social relationship with others compared with before abstinence quarantine.

Tracking the mental health of home-carers during the first COVID-19 national lockdown: evidence from a nationally representative UK survey.

Unpaid carers who look after another member of their household (home-carers) have poorer mental health than the general population. The first COVID-19 national lockdown led to an increasing reliance on home-carers and we investigate the short- and longer-term impacts of lockdown on their mental health. Data from 9737 adult participants (aged 16+) from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (Understanding Society) were used to explore changes in 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) score between (a) pre-pandemic (2019) and early lockdowns (April 2020) and (b) early and later (July 2020) lockdowns. GHQ-12 scores among home-carers were higher pre-lockdown and increased more than for non-carers from 2019 to April 2020 with further increases for home-carers compared with non-carers between April and July. Compared with respondents caring for a spouse/partner, those caring for a child under 18 had a particularly marked increase in GHQ-12 score between 2019 and April, as did those caring for someone with a learning disability. Home-carers of children under 18 improved from April to July while those caring for adult children saw a marked worsening of their mental health. Home-carers with greater care burden saw larger increases in GHQ-12 score from 2019 to April and from April to July, and increases through both periods were greater for home-carers who had formal help prior to lockdown but then lost it. The mental health of home-carers deteriorated more during lockdown than non-carers. Policies that reinstate support for them and their care-recipients will benefit the health of both vulnerable groups.

Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea.

Background and Objectives: Frontline medical staff usually experience high levels of stress, which could greatly impact their work output. We conducted a survey to investigate the level of stress and its association with job types, work departments, and medical centers among COVID-19 pandemic frontline medical personnel. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire among 307 frontline medical staff who cared for COVID-19 patients in Daegu city. We used a 33-item questionnaire to assess respondents’ general characteristics, job stress, personal effects associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and their stress level. A general health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was included in our questionnaire. Results: Majority (74.3%) of the respondents were in the stress group. The mean GHQ-12 score was 14.31 ± 4.96. More females (67.4%, p < 0.05) and nurses (73.3%, p = 0.001) were in the stress group compared to males and doctors. Medical staff in the general ward considered the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic situation higher. Nurses perceived work changes (p < 0.05), work burden (p < 0.05), and personal impact (p < 0.05) more serious than doctors. Medical staff in Level 3 emergency department (ED) perceived a lack of real-time information (p = 0.012), a lack of resources, and negative personal impacts associated with the pandemic as more serious than staff in Level 1 and Level 2 EDs. Medical staff in the intensive care unit perceived work changes (p < 0.05), work burden (p < 0.05), and lack of personal protective equipment (p = 0.002) as more serious than staff in the ED and general ward. Conclusion: Providing real-time information and resources for reducing work burden and negative personal impact is central to maximizing the work output of the COVID-19 pandemic frontline medical staff. Supporting their mental health through regular programs and intervention is also imperative.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young people: A comparison between China and the United Kingdom

sPurposeAs COVID-19 spreads globally and affects people's health, there are concerns that the pandemic and control policies may have psychological effects on young people (age from 17 to 35 years). This psychological impact might vary in different countries, and thus we compared the prevalence of self-reported psychological distress, loneliness and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among young people in the United Kingdom (UK) and China at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData of this study came from two sources. One source was the first wave of COVID-19 study in Understanding Society, a special wave of the UK household longitudinal study, which provided the high-quality, national-wide representative panel data. The sample comprised 1054 young people. The other source was an online survey on the mental health of 1003 young people from Shanghai, a highly developed area in China. The questionnaire included questions on the prevalence of common mental disorders (cut-off score ≥ 4), loneliness and potential PTSS (cut-off ≥ 33). Univariable analyses were conducted to test the differences in the self-reported prevalence of psychological distress and loneliness between the two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were run to explore the predictors of psychological distress and loneliness among all the young people from England and Shanghai.ResultsAmong the samples with self-reported psychological distress, the UK sample accounted for 34.4% (n=1054) and the Chinese sample accounted for 14.1% (n=1003). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Additionally, 57.1% of people in the UK and 46.7% in China reported that they sometimes or often felt lonely, of which the difference is statistically significant (p < 0.001). Regression analysis of the entire samples showed that nationality, gender, psychotherapy and loneliness were significant predictors of 12-item General Health Questionnaire scores, while the variables of age and living alone were not. Significant predictors of self-reported loneliness were the nationality, gender, age, living alone and psychotherapy. In China, 123 (12.3%) young people, 49 men (11.3%) and 74 women (13.0%), met the criteria of PTSS symptoms (cut-off scores ≥ 33). These scores were only collected in China.ConclusionThis evidence suggests that mental health and loneliness reported by young people were lower in China than that in the UK during the studied period. More research is needed to understand these differences. If the differential negative psychological impacts are confirmed, country-specific measures of prevention and intervention should be adopted to improve the mental health of young people under the ongoing impact of the pandemic.

Coping Strategies and Psychopathological Responses Among Medical and Non-medical Professionals - a Cross-Sectional Online Survey.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was announced on March 11th, 2020, due to a surge of newly confirmed cases that significantly impacted populations worldwide, both directly and indirectly. Based on past epidemics research, the mental health implications of introduced restrictions should be expected and adequately addressed irrespective of the practiced profession.Objective: The study aimed to explore psychopathological responses, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), concerning coping strategy clusters during the COVID-19 pandemic among medical and non-medical workers.Methods: A cross-sectional web survey of the general population of internet users was performed from March 16th to April 26th, 2020, in Poland during the first peak of COVID-19 cases. A sample of 1,831 professionally active respondents, 64.0% of which pursuing a medical career, filled out General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and MiniCOPE, along with the socio-demographic questionnaire exploring personal as well as the work-related possibility of direct exposure to contagion and availability of proper protection, contact with the infected without accurate protective measures as well as the adequacy of workers when compared settings.Results: Individuals labeled with specific clusters had significantly different psychopathological manifestations. Irrespective of performed job maladaptive cluster was associated with significantly higher GHQ-28 and IES-R scores on total subscales and all subscales compared to those representing the non-specific and adaptive cluster. Similar findings were observed concerning the frequency of the GHQ-28 positive score. Moreover, the non-specific cluster was associated with significantly higher GHQ-28 total scores among medical professionals. However, GHQ-28 positive scores were significantly more frequent in medical workers using adaptive clusters when compared to non-specific. Such relations were not observed in the non-medical group.IES-R total and subscales' scores did not significantly vary within medical and non-medical groups when adaptive and non-specific clusters were compared. Pursuing a non-medical career was found to be a determinant of lower scores, while female sex was observed to be determinant of higher scores in both GHQ-28 and IES-R scales.Conclusions: Positive screening for psychopathological and PTSD symptoms was expected regardless of the analyzed groups' coping strategies. Given the dramatically developing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, support initiatives grounded in research evidence may be essential for maintaining the mental well-being and resilience of both the medical and non-medical workforce.

ROLE OF STRESS AND SELF-ESTEEM IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS

Background: Deterioration in performance of students in medical college is raising concern. One of the reasons is compromise in mental state which is due to stress and it is one of the concerns in present world which needs urgent attention. Many studies have reected that emotional problems are one of the major concerns in higher education which leads to psychological abnormalities like anxiety and depression. Thus early identication and intervention for students having psychological distress would prevent the long term failure in the educational task desired from them at the end of course. Objectives: To assess psychological state among undergraduate medical students measured by general health questionnaire and Rosenberg scale of self-esteem and to correlate their academic performance with the present psychological status. Methods:Adescriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among MBBS students across different phases studying in medical college in central Kerala. The questionnaire included general information and specic information like regarding stay in hostel, hours of study per day, recreational activity, family matters and nancial situation. Psychological wellbeing was assessed using General Health Questionnaire–12. Ascore of ≥15 was considered as an indicator of psychological stressful situation. Self-esteem wellbeing was assessed by Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale according to which any score &lt;20 was considered as low self-esteem. The summative assessment (University examination) marks pattern in theory, viva and practical's were considered as measure for academic performance. Results: 338 students from different phases belonging to different year of admission from 2012 to 2015 participated in the study. The mean age group of sample was 20.96±1.49 years among them 73% were female students. In 118 students General Health Questionnaire score was less than 15 but the difference in sample across the group was not statistically signicant, similarly 207 students had score less than 20 in Rosenberg selfesteem scale where the difference in the score among the group was not statistically signicant. Only in 2012 batch students, a statistically signicant negative correlation was observed between the mean scores of general health questionnaire with academic performance (Mean GHQ score 16.42, r value -0.2, p value 0.018) and a statistically signicant positive correlation was observed between low self-esteem with academic performance (Mean RSE score 18.41, r value 0.23, p value 0.03). In all other batch although GHQ score did not correlate with academic performance but self-esteem score was statistically signicant in batch of 2014. Conclusion: Our study supports that as stress increases, the academic performance decreases hence GHQ and RSE should be used among students with poor academic performance to rule out psychological distress and low self-condence. Every college should be provided a cell to monitor the psychological status of students periodically and intervene if required.

Distribution and correlations of school bully activities in a Central Indian district of Madhya Pradesh

Background: Bullying at schools is a known but neglected phenomenon. The study of its prevalence and correlates are essential to curb this aberrant behavior for building a healthy society. Aim and Objective: This cross-sectional evaluation was carried out to study the pattern through which bully activities manifests in students from 6th to 10th standards and find its positive and negative correlates. Materials and Methods: Candidates selection was done through simple random technique and proportionate sampling was adopted to ensure equal presentation across the board i.e., urban vs rural, types of schools, gender and class(standard). Results: 480 participants were studied both from rural and urban high schools (6th – 10th standard) in equal proportion. An equal portion (33.3%) of participants were ensured from the three groups of schools studied i.e., Girls, Co-education, and Boys, across gender (50%) and class(standard) 20% from each of them. Their age ranged from 10 years to 18 years with the mean age at 13.9 years and a standard deviation of 1.66. Of them 52% were bystanders, and 48% were engaged in some form of bully activities (20% victim, 16% bully victim, and 13% bully). While both bully and victim scores showed a strong positive correlation (r - 0.259**, p - 0.000) their relation with prosocial and self-esteem scores were strongly negative (p – 0.001). GHQ (General Health Questionnaire) score was not related to any of the above ones. Conclusion: Bully related behavior was predominant in the studied population. From the results, it appears that measures directed at improving prosocial behaviors and self-esteem of pupils can act as effective counters to the empathetic school bully activities. Keywords: School bully, Prosocial, Self-esteem, GHQ.

Psychological distress during the acceleration phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a survey of doctors practising in emergency medicine, anaesthesia and intensive care medicine in the UK and Ireland

ObjectiveTo quantify psychological distress experienced by emergency, anaesthetic and intensive care doctors during the acceleration phase of COVID-19 in the UK and Ireland.MethodsInitial cross-sectional electronic survey distributed during acceleration phase...

Quality of Life and Mental Health Status of Japanese Older People Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

This study aimed to establish the quality of life and mental health status among older Japanese people living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We conducted a questionnaire survey among Japanese retired people aged 50 years or over who had been living in Thailand. The questionnaire covered socio-demographic variables including health status and ability to communicate in Thai. We measured mental health status using the Japanese version of the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and quality of life using the Japanese version of EuroQOL-5D-3L. We explored the factors associated with poor mental health and quality of life using logistic regression analysis. In total, 96 (89.7%)participants provided complete responses. Overall, quality of life was generally good, although those with one or more chronic diseases reported significantly lower quality of life. Having one or more chronic diseases and being aged 70–79 were significantly associated with poorer mental health. In total, 21 (21.8%) respondents had a possible neurosis, which was defined as a total GHQ-28 score of more than 6. The logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between possible neurosis and the presence of chronic diseases (adjusted odds ratio: 11.7 1). Quality of life among older Japanese people living in Chiang Mai was generally good, but there was a high level of possible neurosis, especially among those with one or more chronic diseases.

Mental status of nursing students assessed using the general health questionnaire during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine the mental state of nursing students when the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the Turkish population reached its peak.Design and MethodsThis cross‐sectional study was remotely conducted using General Health Questionnaire‐12 (GHQ‐12) and personnel information form, for 2630 nursing students, in Turkey. Data were statistically analyzed.FindingsThe mean GHQ‐12 score was 3.04 ± 2.13, and 71.5% of nursing students scored ≥2 on the GHQ‐12, indicating risk for mental problems. We highlighted that nursing students who reported less sleep and diet during the COVID‐19 pandemic as well as those who thought they were suffering from COVID‐19 symptoms obtained significantly higher mean scores on the GHQ‐12.Practice ImplicationsOur results showed that most nursing students reported mental problems during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Pre‐training of the frontline staff during outbreaks is needed to prepare them to deal with a global pandemic.

A Couples-Based Intervention (Ghya Bharari Ekatra) for the Primary Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence in India: Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

BackgroundThe high global prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its association with poor physical and mental health underscore the need for effective primary prevention. We previously developed Ghya Bharari Ekatra (GBE), a couples-based primary prevention intervention for IPV among newly married couples residing in slum communities in Pune, India.ObjectiveThrough this pilot study, we aimed to explore the acceptance, safety, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of GBE.MethodsBetween January and May 2018, we enrolled and assigned 20 couples to receive GBE plus information on IPV support services and 20 control couples to receive information on IPV support services alone. The GBE intervention was delivered over 6 weekly sessions to groups of 3 to 5 couples by lay peer educators in the communities in which the participants resided. Intervention components addressed relationship quality, resilience, communication and conflict negotiation, self-esteem, sexual communication and sexual health knowledge, and norms around IPV. Outcome evaluation included exit interviews with participants and peers to examine acceptance and feasibility challenges and baseline and 3-month follow-up interviews to examine change in IPV reporting and mental health (by women) and alcohol misuse (by men). The process evaluation examined dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, recruitment, participation rate, and context.ResultsHalf (40/83) of the eligible couples approached agreed to participate in the GBE intervention. Retention rates were high (17/20, 85% across all 6 sessions), feedback from exit interviews suggested the content and delivery methods were very well received, and the community was highly supportive of the intervention. The principal feasibility challenge involved recruiting men with the lowest income who were dependent on daily wages. No safety concerns were reported by female participants over the course of the intervention or at the 3-month follow-up. There were no reported physical or sexual IPV events in either group, but there were fewer incidents of psychological abuse in GBE participants (3/17, 18%) versus control participants (4/16, 25%) at 3-month follow-up. There was also significant improvement in the overall mental health of female intervention participants and declines in the control participants (change in mean General Health Questionnaire-12 score: –0.13 in intervention vs 0.13 in controls; P=.10).ConclusionsGBE has high acceptance, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy in preventing IPV and improving mental health among women. Next steps include refining the intervention content based on pilot findings and examining intervention efficacy through a large-scale randomized trial with longer follow-up.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03332134; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03332134. Clinical Trials Registry of India CTRI/2018/01/011596; http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?trialid=21443International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.2196/11533