GHQ Scores Research Articles

Wellbeing, symptoms of trauma, and personal resources in Palestinian professional helpers: a cross-sectional quantitative survey

BackgroundProfessional helpers working in adverse circumstances are at risk of developing psychosocial stress and signs of primary and secondary trauma (eg, anxiety and hyperarousal). We used modelling to investigate whether and to what extent personal resources (ie, post-traumatic growth, sense of coherence, and wellbeing) of Palestinian helpers affected their experience of psychological distress and trauma symptoms. MethodsEligible participants were professional health-care providers working in Gaza and the West Bank, occupied Palestinian territory, between June and October, 2018. We used the following quantitative measures: WHO Well Being Index (WHO-5), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Impact of Event Scale (IES-13), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-3), and Post-traumatic Growth Index (PTGI-10). Data were analysed by multivariate structural equation modelling with latent and empirical indicators to test the fit of these constructs to the empirical data. The model was specified to evaluate whether and to what extent mental resources may be interpreted as a set of protective factors mitigating risk factors. The study was approved by the ethics board of the University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy. Written consent was obtained from participants. Findings181 participants were enrolled, ranging in age from 18 to 65 years (mean 31·1, SD 8·7). 135 (75%) were men. The mean GHQ-12 score was 17·7 (SD 7·5), revealing a medium to high degree of psychological trauma. 60 (33%) participants reported low mood (although not necessarily depression) on WHO-5. The structural model showed an excellent fit (χ2 [24] 31·8, p=0·132, root mean square error of approximation 0·043, 90% CI 0·019–0·077). Stronger personal resources were associated with lower levels of both psychological distress (β=–0·25, p<0·01) and trauma (β=–0·16, p<0·01). Personal resources were especially associated with reduced levels of anxiety (β=–0·23, p<0·01) and intrusion symptoms (β=–0·22, p<0·01). InterpretationOur integrated model showed that, despite heavy psychological burden, perceptions of post-traumatic growth, coherence, and wellbeing are associated with reduced psychological distress. Targeted training of health-care providers focused on self-awareness of their personal skills and survival resources could improve their psychological health. The study was limited by the cross-sectional research design, and the outcomes of the structural model should be read in terms of probabilistic associations rather than cause-effect relationships. A second limitation concerns the kind of data collected. All the research instruments yielded self-reported quantitative scores, meaning that the standardised β weights in the model could potentially be an artifact of common method variance (ie, attributable to the measurement method rather than to the constructs themselves. FundingNone.

Factors Associated with Psychological Distress of Online Drivers in Medan Regency, North Sumatera, Indonesia

Background: In developing countries, public health issues that are often discussed about psychological distress that can be characterized by anxiety, sadness, stress, depression, and confusing feelings. Online drivers have the potential to experience the stress of psychological distress. The individual is faced with various pressures from work or family such as competition between transportation to get passengers daily, long working time to achieve the target leads, the obligation to pay off the loan, and responsibilities to family needs often cause stress.&#x0D; Method: This study was a multivariate type of predictive analysis to finding out factors associated with GHQ-12 scores of the online drivers with 110 samples who have fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria.&#x0D; Results: Found the factors associated with psychological distress that is marital status, number of family members, length of education, working experience, age, length of work/day, daily target achievement, and total income/month of online drivers&#x0D; Conclusion: From the results of this study it was found that the most associated factors with psychological distress scores are total income/month.

Effectiveness of Group Problem Management Plus, a brief psychological intervention for adults affected by humanitarian disasters in Nepal: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

Globally, 235 million people are impacted by humanitarian emergencies worldwide, presenting increased risk of experiencing a mental disorder. Our objective was to test the effectiveness of a brief group psychological treatment delivered by trained facilitators without prior professional mental health training in a disaster-prone setting. We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) from November 25, 2018 through September 30, 2019. Participants in both arms were assessed at baseline, midline (7 weeks post-baseline, which was approximately 1 week after treatment in the experimental arm), and endline (20 weeks post-baseline, which was approximately 3 months posttreatment). The intervention was Group Problem Management Plus (PM+), a psychological treatment of 5 weekly sessions, which was compared with enhanced usual care (EUC) consisting of a family psychoeducation meeting with a referral option to primary care providers trained in mental healthcare. The setting was 72 wards (geographic unit of clustering) in eastern Nepal, with 1 PM+ group per ward in the treatment arm. Wards were eligible if they were in disaster-prone regions and residents spoke Nepali. Wards were assigned to study arms based on covariate constrained randomization. Eligible participants were adult women and men 18 years of age and older who met screening criteria for psychological distress and functional impairment. Outcomes were measured at the participant level, with assessors blinded to group assignment. The primary outcome was psychological distress assessed with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Secondary outcomes included depression symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, "heart-mind" problems, social support, somatic symptoms, and functional impairment. The hypothesized mediator was skill use aligned with the treatment's mechanisms of action. A total of 324 participants were enrolled in the control arm (36 wards) and 319 in the Group PM+ arm (36 wards). The overall sample (N = 611) had a median age of 45 years (range 18-91 years), 82% of participants were female, 50% had recently experienced a natural disaster, and 31% had a chronic physical illness. Endline assessments were completed by 302 participants in the control arm (36 wards) and 303 participants in the Group PM+ arm (36 wards). At the midline assessment (immediately after Group PM+ in the experimental arm), mean GHQ-12 total score was 2.7 units lower in Group PM+ compared to control (95% CI: 1.7, 3.7, p < 0.001), with standardized mean difference (SMD) of -0.4 (95% CI: -0.5, -0.2). At 3 months posttreatment (primary endpoint), mean GHQ-12 total score was 1.4 units lower in Group PM+ compared to control (95% CI: 0.3, 2.5, p = 0.014), with SMD of -0.2 (95% CI: -0.4, 0.0). Among the secondary outcomes, Group PM+ was associated with endline with a larger proportion attaining more than 50% reduction in depression symptoms (29.9% of Group PM+ arm versus 17.3% of control arm, risk ratio = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.4, p = 0.002). Fewer participants in the Group PM+ arm continued to have "heart-mind" problems at endline (58.8%) compared to the control arm (69.4%), risk ratio = 0.8 (95% CI, 0.7, 1.0, p = 0.042). Group PM+ was not associated with lower PTSD symptoms or functional impairment. Use of psychosocial skills at midline was estimated to explain 31% of the PM+ effect on endline GHQ-12 scores. Adverse events in the control arm included 1 suicide death and 1 reportable incidence of domestic violence; in the Group PM+ arm, there was 1 death due to physical illness. Study limitations include lack of power to evaluate gender-specific effects, lack of long-term outcomes (e.g., 12 months posttreatment), and lack of cost-effectiveness information. In this study, we found that a 5-session group psychological treatment delivered by nonspecialists modestly reduced psychological distress and depression symptoms in a setting prone to humanitarian emergencies. Benefits were partly explained by the degree of psychosocial skill use in daily life. To improve the treatment benefit, future implementation should focus on approaches to enhance skill use by PM+ participants. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03747055.

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.

The Mental Well-Being of Health Care Workers during the Peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Nationwide Study in Poland.

Introduction: The current epidemiological situation has quickly led to several changes in the daily functioning of people around the world, especially among medical personnel, who in this difficult period were burdened with new professional duties, which significantly affects their mental health. Materials: This study aims to assess the mental health of health professionals at a critical point in their workload, to compare the results with those the general population, and to explore the potential determinants affecting it. The CAWI survey includes a sociodemographic section, work experience and a standardised psychometric tool (GHQ-28). Data were collected during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland (3–29 November 2020), which had the highest mortality rates and SARS-CoV-2 morbidity rates, as well as during the period of a significant increase in deaths, compared to the corresponding pre-pandemic period. Results: A total of 2150 surveys were eligible for analysis. Among them, 848 (39.4%) were active health professionals. In the analysis of the scores of the GHQ-28 scale and its sub-scales, evaluating anxiety/insomnia and somatic symptoms, medical workers scored significantly higher scores than non-medical professions (p < 0.001). Frontline medical workers (p < 0.001) and those who were forcibly seconded to work with COVID-19-infected patients (p = 0.011) achieved significantly higher GHQ-28 scores. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental deterioration among health professionals, especially among those directly working with SARS-CoV-2-infected patients and those who were forcibly seconded to work with such patients. To mitigate the effects of the pandemic, appropriate psychological care for medical personnel needs to be implemented.

Mental health, reporting bias and economic transitions

Abstract Measures of mental health are heavily relied upon to identify at-risk individuals. However, self-reported mental health metrics might be unduly affected by mis-reporting (perhaps stemming from stigma effects). In this article, we consider this phenomenon by focusing upon the mis-reporting of mental health using UK panel data from 1991 to 2018. In separate analyses of males and females, we examine how inaccurate reporting of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) measure, specifically its sub-components, can adversely affect the distribution of the index. The analysis suggests that individuals typically over report their mental health (especially so for males). The results are then used to adjust the GHQ-12 score to take mis-reporting into account. We then compare the effects of the adjusted/unadjusted GHQ-12 index when modelling a number of important economic transitions. Using the original index typically leads to an underestimate of the effect of poor mental health on transitions into improved economic states, for example, unemployment to employment.

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.

Correlates and Pattern of Psychiatric Morbidity among Patients attending the Dermatological Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in South-South Region of Nigeria

Introduction: Higher rates of psychiatric disorders have been reported among patients with dermatological lesions. These problems could negatively impact the quality of life of these patients.&#x0D; Objectives: The study aimed to assess the psychiatric morbidity among patients attending the dermatology clinic of University Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). It also sought to assess the relationship between socio-demographic factors and presence of psychiatric morbidity.&#x0D; Methodology: The study employed a cross-sectional design, involving ninety patients consecutively recruited from the dermatology clinic of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). Consenting patients filled the study questionnaire which was inclusive of a socio-demographic questionnaire and general health questionnaire (GHQ-12). A GHQ score of ≥3 was considered as having psychiatric morbidity. Statistical analysis was performed at a statistical significance level of 0.05.&#x0D; Results: The mean age (±Standard deviation) of the patients was 32.3(±13.2) years. The study had a male to female ratio of 1:2.2. Psychiatric morbidity was noticed in 34 patients giving a prevalence rate of 37.8%. The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was higher among females (40.3%) in comparison to males (32.1%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.459). Age (P=0.840) and duration of dermatological disorder (P=0.211) showed no significant relationship with psychiatric morbidity.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study has shown that psychiatric conditions are common among patients with dermatological lesions. Hence it is necessary that mental health care is considered in the routine management of these patients.

The first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic and its impact on socioeconomic inequality in psychological distress in the UK

We use data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) to compare measures of socioeconomic inequality in psychological distress, measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), before (Waves 9 and the Interim 2019 Wave) and during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic (April to July 2020). Based on a caseness measure, the prevalence of psychological distress increased from 18.5% to 27.7% between the 2019 Wave and April 2020 with some reversion to earlier levels in subsequent months. Also, there was a systematic increase in total inequality in the Likert GHQ‐12 score. However, measures of relative socioeconomic inequality have not increased. A Shapley‐Shorrocks decomposition analysis shows that during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic (April 2020) other socioeconomic factors declined in their share of socioeconomic inequality, while age and gender account for a larger share. The most notable increase is evident for younger women. The contribution of working in an industry related to the COVID‐19 response played a small role at Wave 9 and the Interim 2019 Wave, but more than tripled its share in April 2020. As the first wave of COVID‐19 progressed, the contribution of demographics declined from their peak level in April and chronic health conditions, housing conditions, and neighbourhood characteristics increased their contributions to socioeconomic inequality.

Smartphone Addiction and Quality of Sleep among Indian Medical Students

Background: Smartphone is an indispensable miracle of artificial intelligence in the hands of global netizens. Medical students overburdened and sleep-deprived due to the curricular demands can have serious health effects due to further sleep deprivation caused by problematic smartphone use, affecting their work proficiency as practicing physicians. This study aimed to evaluate the association of smartphone addiction and quality of sleep among medical students across all semesters, along with other background variables. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 224 medical students of a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India using a self-administered questionnaire with four parts –Socio-demographic characteristics, General health questionnaire (GHQ-12), Smartphone addiction scale-short version (SAS-SV), and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Results: The prevalence of smartphone addiction is was found out to be 33.33% in females and 46.15% in males. In the study, 63.39% were poor sleepers as assessed by their PQSI scores, and 62.05% reported poor health status as per their GHQ scores. There was a positive correlation between overall PQSI scores and smartphone use duration per day, SAS-SV scores, and GHQ scores. Conclusion: The high prevalence of excessive smartphone usage among medical students is a cause for concern and is detrimental to their health and sleep quality. The research addresses current lacunae in correlating smartphone addiction with smartphone usage before sleeping and right after waking up. Risky behavior adoption and pervasive mood changes associated with excessive smartphone use are addressed with equal representation across semesters. The study recommends increasing self-awareness for help-seeking to regulate smartphone usage and providing counseling services for students in their formative years.

Lung cancer stigma is a predictor for psychological distress: A longitudinal study. Lung cancer stigma is a predictor for psychological distress.

To examine if baseline stigma predicts psychological distress at 3 and 6 months follow-up among patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer. This longitudinal study was nested within a larger randomised controlled trial. Eligible participants were recruited via respiratory and oncology out-patient clinics in Australia (n=194). Consenting participants were asked to complete surveys at baseline, 3 and 6 months post-recruitment. Measures included lung cancer stigma (Cataldo Lung Cancer Stigma Scale) and psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-12 [GHQ-12]). One-hundred and ninety-four participants were included for analysis. Most were male (57.7%) with a mean age of 68 years (SD=8.8). A significant relationship between baseline lung cancer stigma and psychological distress at 6 months was found, where a one unit increase in lung cancer stigma increases psychological distress by 0.044 when adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, baseline GHQ-12 scores and intervention allocation (as part of the larger trial; p=0.001; β=0.044, 95% CI=0.010, 0.079). Temporal links between lung cancer stigma and psychological distress was found at 6 months, suggesting stigma-related experiences may have a delayed impact. Development of routine lung cancer stigma assessments is recommended to identify those at risk of psychological distress.

Prevalence and 11-year incidence of common eye diseases and their relation to health-related quality of life, mental health, and visual impairment

PurposeTo study the prevalence and incidence of the most common eye diseases and their relation to health-related quality of life (HRQoL), depression, psychological distress, and visual impairment in the aging population of Finland.MethodsOur study was based on two nationwide health surveys conducted in 2000 and 2011. Eye disease status data were obtained from 7379 and 5710 individuals aged 30 + years, of whom 4620 partook in both time points. Both surveys included identical indicators of HRQoL (EuroQol-5 Dimension [EQ-5D], 15D), depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]), psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-12 [GHQ-12]), visual acuity, and self-reported eye diseases. We assessed the impact of known eye diseases on these factors, adjusted for age, gender, and co-morbidities.ResultsPrevalence of self-reported eye diseases was 3.1/2.7% for glaucoma, 8.1/11.4% for cataract, and 3.4/3.8% for retinal degeneration in 2000 and 2011, and the average incidence between 2000 and 2011 was 22, 109, and 35 /year/10,000 individuals, respectively. These eye diseases were associated with a significant decrease in EQ-5D and 15D index scores in both time points. BDI and GHQ-12 scores were also worsened, with some variation between different eye diseases. Impaired vision was, however, the strongest determinant of declined HRQoL. During the 11-year follow-up the effect of eye diseases on HRQoL and mental health diminished.ConclusionDeclined HRQoL associated with eye diseases is more related to impaired vision than the awareness of the disease itself, and this declining effect diminished during the follow-up. Therefore, information directed to the public on the risks and prevention of blindness can and should be strengthened to prevent the deleterious effects of visual impairment.

Psychological Well-Being in Nursing Students: A Multicentric, Cross-Sectional Study.

In addition to complying with strict academic standards, nursing students must acquire relevant knowledge and skills, and learn how to carry themselves in different and often stressful professional settings. These obligations could severely affect their mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the mental health status of undergraduate nursing students and related factors. A total of 1368 nursing students from different universities in Spain and Chile were included in this study, which took place over the 2018–2019 academic year. We assessed their levels of stress related to specific learning methodologies and determined their mental health status using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The results revealed that the more advanced the course was, the lower the total GHQ-28 score. The stress generated by different types of training activities had a significant effect on the total GHQ-28 score. These results suggest that nursing education could act as a protective factor against mental health disorders. Although a heavy academic workload could lead to higher levels of stress, overall, it seems that mental health is better in more advanced courses than in initial academic years.

Class of 2020 in Poland: Students' Mental Health during the COVID-19 Outbreak in an Academic Setting.

The COVID-19 pandemic had led universities to introduce lockdowns, which has led to significant shifts in students’ lives. Classes were moved online, students had to leave dorms and move; they had to forgo regular meetings with their peers. Subsequently, a vital demand for examining students’ mental health emerged. The data were collected at a time when universities in Poland were under lockdowns. Participants represented students of many different fields of study. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used. Student’s subjective evaluation of online learning and their adaptation to academic life shifts were reviewed. A total of 1123 participants took part in this study. Relationship analysis included tests, such as U Mann–Whitney, appropriate for specific variables. The impact of variables connected with the pandemic on the GHQ scores was tested using multivariate regression analysis. The results were considered significant at a p-value set at 0.05. Overall, 76.96% of the participants manifested psychopathological symptoms measured by the GHQ. Four demographical variables were possibly associated with the GHQ scores: female sex, living in a big city, necessity to move back home, and being in a relationship. Negative correlations between subjective evaluation of variables concerning e-learning, such as its efficiency or quality, and the GHQ scores were found. Some variables were found to be potential protective factors, whereas others could have contributed to worsened mental health. The study provides data on students’ worsened mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shifts in academic life it caused. Therefore, recommendations for early psychosocial interventions among students are strongly advised.

Coping Styles, Mental Health, and the COVID-19 Quarantine: A Nationwide Survey in Poland.

Background: The outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 that began from March 2020 is yet to be contained. Consequences of the ongoing pandemic may have a negative impact on the mental health of affected individuals. This particularly refers to those quarantined. Since the COVID-19 pandemic is currently one of the biggest health issues worldwide, a higher demand emerges for research concentrating on the worsening of psychological well-being among the general and the quarantined population, as well as on individual coping strategies that may moderate the occurrence of psychopathologies.Method: Data were collected within the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. Participants represented quarantine (+) and quarantine (–) groups. Quarantine (+) group, different from quarantine (–), consisted of people who experienced it themselves or someone close to them did after contacting an infected individual. To measure psychopathological symptoms a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used. For measuring PTSD symptoms, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) was used. This study followed the coping strategies manifested among the participants using the MiniCope questionnaire.Results: A total of 2,036 individuals participated in this study. Quarantine (+) individuals had significantly higher total and subscales GHQ-28 scores (anxiety, insomnia, and somatic symptoms) as well as a higher IES-R arousal score. The quarantine (+) individuals were more likely to use self-distraction as a coping strategy. This research identified positive and negative correlations between presented coping styles and manifested psychopathology.Conclusion: This nationwide study suggests occurrence of negative effects on mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine. It is observed on most of the measured psychopathological symptoms. The present research provides a line of action that should be followed in the future in case of another epidemic and in the event restrictions like quarantine have to be introduced again.

Effects of Lifestyle Changes on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers with Different Sense of Coherence Levels in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic.

Sense of coherence (SOC) is a psychological factor that contributes to mental health maintenance under stressful environment. Likewise, level of SOC might affect mental health among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic differently. In this study, we investigated the relationships between lifestyle changes and mental health (General Health Questionnaire-12: GHQ-12) among different level of SOC (weak, moderate, or strong by SOC-13). The data of 898 healthcare workers from cross-sectional survey dataset were extracted and analyzed. As results, based on GHQ-12 score, 86.1% of 244 participants with weak SOC, 60.1% of 606 participants with moderate SOC, and 31.3% of 48 participants with strong SOC had poor mental health. Both SOC levels and lifestyle changes (except alcohol consumption) had significant main effects on the GHQ-12 score. Analysis on the association between lifestyle changes and mental health status stratified by SOC level reveled that among participants with weak SOC, those who increased their leisure and activity time had reduced odds of poor mental health than those who made no changes (OR: 0.08, CI: 0.01 to 0.64). Healthcare workers with weak SOC were at risk of poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and lifestyle changes may improve their mental health.

Brief videoconferencing psychological intervention for reducing COVID-19 related distress: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundGlobally COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the psychological wellbeing of millions of people, and there is an urgent imperative to address elevated levels of distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed Problem Management Plus (PM+), a low intensity psychological intervention for adults experiencing psychological distress. This paper outlines the study protocol for a trial that tests the effectiveness of an adapted version of PM+ to reduce distress associated with COVID-19.MethodsA single-blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial will be carried out for distressed people across Australia. via video conferencing on a small group basis. Following informed consent, adults that screen positive for levels of psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12 score ≥ 3) and have access to videoconferencing platform will be randomised to an adapted version of gPM+ (n = 120) or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) (n = 120). The primary outcome will be reduction in psychological distress including anxiety and depression at 2-months post treatment. Secondary outcomes include worry, sleep problems, anhedonia, social support, and stress in relation to COVID-19.DiscussionThe trial aims assess whether an adapted version of videoconferencing PM+ that is specifically designed to target COVI-19 related distress will result in reduced distress relative to enhanced usual care.Trial registrationThis trial was prospectively registered on the ANZCTR on 14/4/20 (ACTRN12620000468921).

Mental Health in the Era of the Second Wave of SARS-CoV-2: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on an Online Survey among Online Respondents in Poland.

The main objective of this study was to assess mental health during the COVID-19 second wave. The study was conducted using a proprietary questionnaire that had been provided via the Internet to online respondents in Poland. The questionnaire questions included a socio-geographic assessment, proprietary questions assessing the respondents’ current approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a standardised psychometric tool—GHQ-28. The study involved 2155 respondents, 99.8% of whom gave their consent for the participation in the study. A mean GHQ score was 29.25 ± 14.94 points. The criterion for minor mental disorders (≥24 points) was met by 1272 (59.2%) respondents. In overall interpretation as well as in each of GHQ-28 subscales, women obtained significantly higher scores than men (p < 0.001). The restriction on earning opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic is significantly associated with the feeling of anxiety/insomnia severity among the respondents (9.96 vs. 8.82 points; p < 0.001). The COVID-19 pandemic, although it has already been experienced for nearly a year, has had a significant association with the general mental health of the respondents in Poland. There is a strong need to implement special programs that offer psychological support in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for those who had direct experience with COVID-19 infection.

Influence of school mental health education combined with family intervention on the mental health of middle school students

Objective To explore the influence of school mental health education combined with family intervention on the mental and physical health of middle school students. Methods A total of 280 students in six classes of the experimental middle school attached to Hebei Normal University were convenient selected as participants, and two classes in each grade were included in the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group received school mental health education and family intervention, while the control group only received school mental health education. The changes in GHQ, SCL-90 and common mental health problems were compared before and after intervention. Results The total score of GHQ-12 was (5.06±1.33) in the experimental group after intervention and (15.62±3.84) before intervention. The total score of GHQ-12 in the experimental group after intervention was significantly lower than that before intervention, and significantly lower than that in the control group ( t = 13.65, 8.39, P < 0.05). The scores for somatization, anxiety, depression, paranoia, interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, hostility, paranoia and psychosis in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t = −13.21–−6.71, P <0.05). After the intervention, the proportions of good interpersonal relationships, good parent-child relationships and after-school hobbies in the experimental group were 68.28%, 66.21% and 84.14%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group (35.56%, 40.74% and 51.85%, respectively), the proportions of people without intimate friends, early love and love after school were 9. 66%, 9. 66% and 4. 14%, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group (20.74%, 24.44%, 21.48%) ( P <0.05). Conclusion School mental health education and family intervention can effectively improve the mental health of middle school students, improve their interpersonal relationships and promote their mental and physical health. 【摘要】 目的 探讨学校心理健康教育结合家庭干预对中学生心理健康的影响, 为促进中学生的心理健康提供参考。 方法 方便选取河北师范大学附属实验中学 6 个班级的 280 名学生作为研究对象, 将每个年级所选取的 2 个班级分别纳人 实验组 (145 名) 和对照组 (135 名) 。实验组采用学校心理健康教育并配合家庭干预, 对照组仅行学校心理健康教育。对 比两组学生干预前后的一般健康问卷 (GHQ) 评分、症状自评量表 (SCL-90) 评分及常见心理卫生问题的变化。 结果 实 验组干预后的GHQ-12总评分为 (5.06±1.33) 分, 干预前为 (15.62±3.84) 分, 干预后的 GHQ-12 总评分较干预前降低, 且低 于对照组干预后 ( t 值分别为 13.65,8.39, P 值均<0.05)。干预后实验组的SCL-90躯体化、焦虑、抑郁、偏执、人际关系敏 感、强迫症状、敌对、偏执、精神病性评分均低于对照组 ( t = −13.21~−6.71, P 值均<0.05)。实验组干预后人际关系好、亲子 关系好、课余爱好很多者占比分别为 68.28%, 66.21%, 84.14%, 均髙于对照组 (35.56%, 40.74%, 51.85%), 没有知心朋友、 有早恋、无课余爱好者占比分别为 9.66%, 9.66%, 4.14%, 均低于对照组 (20.74%, 24.44%, 21.48%) ( P 值均<0.05)。 结论 学校心理健康教育配合家庭干预可有效提髙中学生的心理卫生水平, 改善人际关系, 促进心理健康。

PREVALENCE & CORRELATES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AMONG URBAN FIELD-LEVEL HEALTH WORKERS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN COVID-19 SURVEILLANCE IN A MUNICIPALITY AREA IN WEST BENGAL.

Background: Psychological stress is rapidly becoming an occupational health epidemic. COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to signicantly affect the psychological stress of healthcare workers (HCWs), who stand in the frontline of this crisis. It is, therefore, an immediate priority to monitor psychological stress in order to understand mediating factors and inform tailored interventions. The aim of this study is to elicit the prevalence of psychological stress among Health Care Workers in a municipality area during the Covid-19 outbreak. Methods: This observational &amp; descriptive epidemiological study with cross-sectional design was conducted from August to September, 2020 eld level health workers actively involved in COVID-19 surveillance in urban areas. The sample size of 62 was calculated by 4PQL2 where P stands for prevalence of reference study. A predesigned, pretested self administered questionnaire containing validated General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used for data collection. The questionnaire was translated to two local languages i.e Bengali &amp; hindi to so that participants can understand it by themselves. Findings:Atotal of 75 urban Health workers participated in the study and 68 of them properly completed the questionnaire.According to GHQ-12 score 47.2% are found to be stressed. Stress is signicantly higher in Muslim population &amp; among widows. There is signicant correlation between GHG-12 score &amp; per capita income but there is no signicant correlation with income contribution by the health worker. There is highly signicant association between stress &amp; the perception of work place safety. It is also seen that those whose motivation of work is money only are signicantly more stressed than those who motivation is to perform some social work