Kessler Psychological Distress Research Articles

Effects of Sleep Quality on Academic Performance and Psychological Distress Among Medical Students in Saudi Arabia

Background: Sleep hygiene habits are essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sleep deprivation is a prevalent problem worldwide. Multiple studies have shown a high prevalence of sleep insufficiency among medical students due to high academic load, caffeine intake, and high-stress levels. Objectives: This study explores the relationship between sleep quality, academic performance, and psychological distress among medical students at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on medical students of all academic years at Alfaisal University, Riyadh. Two popular surveys – the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and K10 - were used to assess sleep quality and psychological distress, respectively. In addition, the survey contained questions on socio-demographics and academic performance. Sociodemographic characteristics were assessed across groups having poor and good sleep quality. In multivariate analysis, we employed conscious variable selection to develop models. All statistical tests were two-sided at P < 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: A total of 241 respondents participated in the study. Most respondents reported poor sleep quality (75.93%). The highest psychological distress was reported among respondents with poor sleep quality (48.63%). The relationship between Kessler's Psychological Distress score and sleep quality score was significantly positive and linear (P < 0.0001). The mean PSQI score was higher in students with lower GPAs (1.50 - 2.99) than in those with higher GPAs (3.00 - 4.00). This shows that those students who sleep well perform academically better. Conclusions: The quality of sleep among medical students is poor, which is associated with psychological distress and poor academic performance. It is highly suggested that the awareness of sleep hygiene with healthy sleep habits be campaigned among medical students. Also, academic mentors, program directors, and coordinators play a crucial role in ensuring that medical students are not academically overwhelmed.

Developing and validating a university needs instrument to measure the psychosocial needs of university students.

University students are four times more likely to experience elevated levels of psychological distress compared to their peers. The psychosocial needs of university students are associated with high psychological distress, stressful life events, and academic performance. Our study focuses on developing a measure to help universities identify these psychosocial needs. The study aimed to develop and validate the factor structure of the University Needs Instrument and identify the relationship between psychosocial needs, psychological distress and academic performance among university students. Undergraduate university students (N=511) currently studying at university. Participants completed demographic questions, the University Needs Instrument and the Kessler-10 Psychological Distress scale. The University Needs Instrument comprises 30 items within six psychosocial factors (academic support, financial support, support from family, support from friends, practical support and emotional support), each consisting of five items. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that all items significantly loaded on the six hypothesized factors. The hypothesized model was supported by the data displaying excellent model fit and psychometric properties. Our analysis determined that the UNI has strong internal consistency. The results also confirmed that university students' high levels of psychological distress and their academic performance may be affected by their psychosocial needs. Our findings have provided an initial validation of the UNI to help screen and identify the psychosocial needs of university students. This scale can be used to identify the appropriate psychosocial support that can be offered to students and in turn could help reduce their psychological distress, improve their psychosocial well-being and increase academic performance.

Covid-19 Psychological Trauma and its Associated Factors among Nurses in Southwest Nigeria

Background: COVID-19’s sudden uprising and proliferation causes fear and psychological distress in the general public. Its pandemic nature is associated with psychological distress and symptoms of mental illness. Hence, it becomes imperative to pay attention to the mental health of nurses who are caring for patients during the outbreak.
 Methodology: A cross-sectional study among 161 nurses in southwest Nigeria. An Online questionnaires were sent to nurses through social media applications. In addition to socio-demographic and work-related variables, psychological trauma was measured using Kessler-10 psychological distress scale. Descriptive statistics, Chi square test, and binary logistic regression were used in the analysis. All analysis were done using Stata MP 16.
 Results: COVID-19 related psychological trauma was 27.4% among nurses. Majority of the respondents were females (82.6 %), Christians (85.7%), and urban residents (88.2%).About 85.7% of the nurses were Yoruba by tribe. About a half of the nurses (48.4%) had less than 10 years work experience. Muslims (AOR: 4.17, CI: 1.27- 13.76) were 4.17 times more likely to have COVID-19 related psychological trauma compared to Christians. Also, nurses who had no contact with COVID-19 patients (AOR: 0.09, CI: 0.02- 0.49) were less likely to have COVID-19 related psychological trauma.
 Conclusion: COVID-19-related psychological trauma was notably high among the nurses, and associated risk factors were religion and contact with COVID-19 patient. Nurses should be given adequate attention in terms of programmes or training that is capable of improving their competence in handling COVID-19 patients and boost their psychological health during the pandemic.

The Effectiveness of Self-Healing Approach on Cognitive Distortions and Interpersonal Forgiveness among Women with Psychological Distress

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of self-healing approach on cognitive distortions and interpersonal forgiveness among women with psychological distress. Methods: This research was a semi-tested study with pre-test, post-test and follow-up of control group, which was carried out on women who chose educational counseling center in region no 2, of Isfahan city in the second half of 1399. After screening by using Kessler's psychological distress questionnaire (2002), 40 women were selected and placed randomly in two experimental and control groups (each group of 20 females). The research tools of cognitive distortions belonged to Hamamchi and Boyuk (2004) and interpersonal forgiveness tool belonged to Ehteshamzadeh (2010). The experimental group received 14 sessions of 90-minute training of Lloyd and Johnson (2014) self- healing method, and the control group did not receive any training and interference. Data were analyzed using frequent measurement variance test in SPSS software version 25. Results: The results of this study showed that self-healing approach on cognitive distortions (f = 3.20, p=0.05) and forgiveness (F = 11.14, P = 0.01) of women with psychological distress was effective in post-test phase and the effects of intervention over time remained constant (p <0.001). Conclusion: It is recommended to pay more attention to education in families due to its effectiveness in improving the psychological health of women with psychological distress, as well as increasing the forgiveness and reducing the cognitive distortions and it may be employed as an effective educational method for improving the lifestyle and mental health of the women with psychological distress.

Psychometric properties of Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K10) in cancer patients

Context: Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K10) is a self-rated, easy-to-apply scale to measure psychological distress. The suitability of its use in treatment-seeking cancer patients in the clinical setup has not been studied. Aims: The aim was to assess the psychometric properties and associations of K10 with sociodemographic and clinical variables and depression levels in the cancer patients visiting the hospital. Settings and Design: The research was a cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study conducted in the oncology outpatient department of a public hospital. Materials and Methods: The data were collected from 155 cancer patients using semi-structured pro forma for sociodemographic and illness-related information. K10 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to quantify psychological distress and depression. Statistical Analysis Used: The factor structure of Kessler's 10-item scale was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach's alpha was calculated as a measure of internal consistency. Given the nonnormal distribution of quantitative data, nonparametric tests were used to analyze the association of K10 scores with sociodemographic and clinical variables and depression scores. Results: The K10 showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.914) in the cancer patients. In confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling, the single-factor and two-factor models could not adequately fit across goodness-of-fit indices. There was a significant association between the levels of psychological distress and depression in cancer patients. Conclusion: K10, in its current form, is a reliable instrument to measure psychological distress. However, a need-based modification of the existing scale is required in treatment-seeking cancer patients.

Free Papers Compiled

Background:During the last few decades, Internet use has not only grown but has also transformed from a tool to collect and share information to a way of connecting with others and the world around us. Individuals aged 18–24 years old account for 18% of global Internet users and those aged from 25 to 34 account for 32% of global Internet users. The general rise in Internet usage also poses a risk of online activities becoming excessive such as gaming/gambling, streaming, watching pornography, and shopping .The excessive and compulsive use of online activities and services which have addictive potential associated with marked functional impairment. A study examining the correlation between PIU, mental health, and sleep quality among Western medical students found that PIU was directly and positively connected to depression anxiety and stress.Aim:The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of compulsive internet use and associated psychological distress among medical students.Methods:A total of 100 medical students of Government medical college participated in an online survey. Participants completed the CIUS(compulsive internet use scale) and Kessler Psychological Distress scale.Results:Students with higher CIUS scores reported significantly lower academic achievements as well as showed significant higher score in Kessler distress scale, Study also showed PIU increases likelihood of anxiousness and depressive symptoms.Conclusion:CIUS as reliable and valid self-report screening instruments for evaluating the severity of PIU symptoms among the medical student population and showed associated significant increase of psychological distress among the students who spend more time on internet.

Abstract- Poster

Background:Test anxiety is physiological and behavioral responses that accompanies concern about possible negative consequences of failure in an exam. Undergraduate medical students had their academics disrupted during COVID-19 pandemic.Aims:To study levels of test anxiety among undergraduate medical students, its variance in relation to demography, COVID-19 pandemic, learning experiences and individual factors.Method:Online questionnaire-based survey was done amongst undergraduate medical students from medical schools of Gujarat. Students from 1st, 2nd and 3rd years who were about to appear in final exams from March to June 2021, were asked to enroll in the survey. Apart from demography, COVID-19 related factors, learning experiences during lockdown, 10-item Westside Test Anxiety (WTA) scale was used to assess test anxiety levels and Kessler Psychological distress (K10) scale was used to assess level of psychological distress.Results:Total of 370 students participated. Mean WTA Score was 3.15±1; 60.2% of the respondents had moderate or higher levels of test anxiety. On bivariate analysis WTA score was found significantly associated with year of study, coming from vernacular medium, various lockdown related issues (family financial problem, worry about future) various learning experiences (feeling ill prepared for exams,) and K10 score. Of these association with K10 score, coming from vernacular medium and feeling ill-prepared for exam were maintained on multiple-linear regression.Conclusions:Vernacular medium of study during high school was found associated with test anxiety amongst medical students and can be a potential area of intervention

Prevalence and determinants of stress among undergraduate medical students in Surendranagar district: A cross-sectional study

Background: Stress among undergraduate medical students is a bigger concern globally. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of stress among undergraduate medical students and to find association between stress with sociodemographic variables and other stressors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 private medical college undergraduate students in Surendranagar district. The study used Kessler-10 psychological distress inventory, which measures the level of stress according to none, mild, moderate, and severe grades. Various sociodemographic, academic, and psychosocial factors were assessed using Microsoft Excel version 2021 and analyzed in SPSS version 26. Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and binary logistic regression were used for analysis. Results: Overall prevalence of stress among medical students was noted as 71%. Majority (39%) of the stressed students were from the 2nd year. Female students were more stressed than male students. Broad MBBS syllabus, high frequency of examinations, fear of failure in examinations, competition with the peers, language barrier, lack of recreational activities, and fear of less attendance were the academic factors behind the stress. Feeling of social isolation and lack of motivation were found to be predictors for the stress. Conclusion: High prevalence of the stress among medical students was found in this study. Minimization of the academic workload and promotion of extracurricular activities such as sports and cinema are in need. Self-care skills should be incorporated in curriculum and counseling units can be set up for students to cope up with stress.

Nutrition Care Processes Can Improve the Nutritional Status and Quality of Life of Persons Who Use Drugs

Background:: Addiction affects the economy of countries worldwide. Nutrition plays an important role in helping persons who use drugs (PWUDs) to regain their physical and mental health, thereby increasing the probability of recovery. Objectives:: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of implementing the nutrition care process on PWUDs management 120 days after its implementation. Patients and Methods:: Following a quasi-experimental design with pre and post-test evaluations, 268 PWUDs admitted to 8 drug treatment, and rehabilitation centers in the Philippines were recruited. Developed nutrition management guidelines containing the nutrition care process and cycle menu of calculated diet for PWUDs were provided for implementation in the rehabilitation regimen. Body mass index was used to assess nutritional status, dietary diversity score (DDS) to measure diet quality, WHO quality of life-BREF to assess the quality of life (QoL), Kessler-10 Psychological Distress Scale to determine psychological distress, and Beck’s depression inventory to assess stress level. All descriptive analyses were performed using STATA version 13. Repeated measures ANOVA, Cochran’s Q test, and Kendall’s tau coefficient were performed using SPSS-20. Results:: The results indicated a 92% reduction in underweight during the study period. Participants with high DDS significantly increased from 38.43 to 91.04%. All domains of the QoL were improved, the level of severe depression was significantly decreased (6.72 to 4.48%), and decrease in the proportion of participants experiencing moderate (18.3 to 12.7%) and severe psychological distress (4.48 to 3.73%) was observed. There was no significant association between DDS and the three psychological parameters. Conclusions:: The implementation of the nutrition care process and the recovery diets is feasible and could improve the nutritional status, QoL, and stress level of PWUDs.

Adolescents’ mental health status and influential factors amid the Coronavirus Disease pandemic

BackgroundThe preventive measure of Coronavirus Disease pandemic, such as nationwide lockdown, might lead to stress, depression, and anxiety, prominently in adolescents. Many factors were indicated to influence its severity. This study aimed to investigate the magnitude of COVID-19-related mental health problems in adolescents and the associated factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional study gathered 2018 adolescents throughout Indonesia from April 22nd-28th 2020. The questionnaire was spread through social media and included Kessler-10 Psychological Distress scale and closed-ended questions about the risk and protective factors. The results were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Logistic Regression.ResultsThe participants were mostly males (91.8%) with a median age of 19. The results showed 54.1% experienced varying degrees of distress. All variables were significantly related with psychological distress during Mann-Whitney-U and Kruskal-Wallis test. The logistic regression analysis showed maintaining or improving dietary pattern and sleep quality was found to be protective against psychological distress (OR = 0.497,95%CI = 0.34–0.725 and OR = 0.515,95%CI = 0.372–0.714, respectively), while others were risk factors, i.e.: Not having a confidant (OR = 1.539,95%CI = 1.226–1.931), frequent argument with parents (OR = 1.735,95%CI = 1.343–2.24), feeling worried (OR = 2.364, 95%CI1.528-3.656), chronic diseases (OR = 2.601,95%CI = 1.468–4.606), and mental illnesses (OR = 9.866,95%CI = 3.855–25.249).ConclusionMore than half of adolescents experienced distress. The findings called for initiatives by experts in providing psychosocial support for adolescents.

Psychological Distress and Happiness of Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender People During the Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic: Is There a Need for Public Health Policy Intervention?

Since the global onset of COVID-19 in early 2020, the disease has significantly impacted mental health. This impact is likely to be further exacerbated for groups who were already marginalized. This paper shares results from a broader study of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people in Bali, Indonesia and includes a focus on psychological distress and happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic; applying sociodemographic and epidemiological characteristics as potential mediators. Psychological distress and the level of happiness were measured by The Kessler Psychological Distress (K10) and the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS). A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to September 2020. Of the 416 participants, complete data were available for 363 participants. The majority of participants were aged 26–40 years, currently single, were born outside Bali, were currently living in an urban area, and over one-third were living with HIV. While all were MSM, the majority identified as homosexual/tend to be homosexual (71.3%), however 54 (14.9%) identified themselves as heterosexual. The majority (251, 69.1%) reported moderate to very high psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The binary logistic regression analysis identified five factors to be significantly associated with higher psychological distress: being a student, reporting higher levels of stigma, had ever experienced discrimination, felt better prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and less happy than the average person. When homosexual were compared with heterosexual participants, those who identified themselves as being homosexual reported significantly lower psychological distress compared to those identified themselves as heterosexual, which may be associated with these participants not disclosing their status as MSM and the stigma around MSM. Those who considered themselves to be less happy than the average person (316, 87.1%) were more likely to live with a partner and to report moderate to very high psychological distress. Based on the findings, interventions should focus on strategies to reduce stigma, provide non-discriminatory services, and improve access to essential health services.

Associations between self-reported respiratory symptoms and non-specific psychological distress following exposure to a prolonged landscape fire.

We investigated the association between respiratory symptoms and psychological distress in the context of a prolonged smoke event, and evaluated whether smoke exposure, or pre-existing respiratory and mental health conditions, influenced the association. Three thousand ninety-six residents of a rural town heavily exposed to smoke from the 6-week Hazelwood coal mine fire, and 960 residents of a nearby unexposed town, completed Kessler's psychological distress questionnaire (K10) and a modified European Community Respiratory Health Survey. Logistic regression models evaluated associations between distress and respiratory symptoms, with interactions fitted to evaluate effect modification. Smoke exposed participants reported higher levels of distress than those unexposed, and participants reporting respiratory symptoms recorded higher levels of distress than participants without respiratory symptoms, irrespective of exposure. 5-unit increments in K10 scores were associated with 21%-48% increases in the odds of reporting respiratory symptoms. There were significant interactions with pre-existing asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and mental health conditions, but not with smoke exposure. Although participants with pre-existing conditions were more likely to report respiratory symptoms, increasing distress was most strongly associated with respiratory symptoms among those without pre-existing conditions. Communities exposed to landscape fire smoke could benefit from interventions to reduce both psychological and respiratory distress.

Serum L-arginine and endogenous methylarginine concentrations predict irritable bowel syndrome in adults: Anested case-control study.

Background & AimsNitric oxide, a major inhibitory nonadrenergic, noncholinergic neurotransmitter that relaxes smooth muscle, may be implicated in the pathophysiology of visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Impaired bioavailability of the nitric oxide precursor molecule L‐arginine and higher concentrations of methylarginines (endogenous inhibitors of nitric oxide synthesis) are known to impair nitric oxide synthesis in numerous gastrointestinal cell types. We therefore examined serum concentrations of L‐arginine and the methylarginines in a nested case‐control study, to assess whether these factors are associated with adult IBS.MethodsData on clinical characteristics, methylarginines, and L‐arginine (measured using LC‐MS/MS) were collected from a random population‐based cohort of Australian adults (median age = 64 years; IQR = 60–70). Cases of IBS, defined according to Rome III criteria (N = 156), and controls (N = 332) were identified from within the cohort at the 5‐year follow‐up.ResultsIn adjusted logistic regression analyses, L‐arginine, asymmetric dimethylarginine, symmetric dimethylarginine, L‐arginine/asymmetric dimethylarginine ratio, and Kessler‐10 psychological distress scores were significantly associated with IBS (p > 0.05). Similar results were found for IBS subtypes. Higher serum L‐arginine concentration had the strongest association with IBS diagnosis, with an odds ratio of 9.03 for those with serum L‐arginine at the 75th (84 μmol/L) versus 25th (46 μmol/L) percentile (95% CI: 5.99–13.62). L‐arginine had the best discriminative ability with a bias‐adjusted area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.859.ConclusionsHigher serum concentrations of L‐arginine and endogenous methylarginines are strongly associated with IBS in adults.

Factors associated with psychological distress in family caregivers: Findings from nationwide data in Japan

Family caregivers can experience psychological distress, resulting in physical and mental health problems, and discontinuation of caregiving. This study's objective was to examine factors associated with caregiver psychological distress. We analyzed data from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016, which included 12 504 pairs of caregivers and care recipients sharing a household in Japan. Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K6) was used to measure caregiver psychological distress. Multivariable logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with caregiver psychological distress (K6 score ≥5). Caregivers' median K6 score was 3 (interquartile range 0-7), and 38.6% had a K6 score ≥5. K6 scores ≥5 were positively associated with female sex (adjusted odds ratio 1.35, 95% CI 1.21-1.51), poor caregiver health status (compared with "very good," 9.48, 95% CI 7.91-11.37 for "not very good/poor"), longer care time (compared with "help only when needed," 1.40, 95% CI 1.25-1.58 for "almost all day") and dementia (1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.28), lower respiratory tract disease (1.25, 95% CI 1.06-1.49) and diabetes (1.16, 95% CI 1.00-1.33) in care recipients. K6 scores ≥5 were negatively associated with older caregiver age (compared with 20-54 years, 0.65, 95%CI 0.58-0.74 for 55-64 years, 0.54, 95%CI 0.46-0.63 for 65-74 years and 0.50, 95% CI 0.40-0.62 for ≥75 years), employment (0.88, 95% CI 0.80-0.97) and being a care recipient's child-in-law (compared with spouse 0.75, 95% CI 0.61-0.92). The findings identified several factors associated with caregiver psychological distress, showing that particular attention might need to be paid to caregivers with these risk factors. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 855-864.

The Association Between Case Manager Interactions and Serious Mental Illness Following a Physical Workplace Injury or Illness: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Workers' Compensation Claimants in Ontario.

Poor mental health is a common occurrence among workers recovering from a work-related injury or illness. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the association between adverse interactions with workers' compensation case managers and experiencing a serious mental illness 18-months following a workplace injury or illness. A cohort of 996 workers' compensation claimants in Ontario Canada were interviewed 18months following a disabling work-related injury or illness. Perceptions of informational and interpersonal justice in case manager interactions were defined as the primary independent variables, and Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) scores greater than 12, indicative of a serious mental illness, was defined as the outcome. Multivariate modified Poisson models estimated the association between perceptions of adverse case manager interactions and a serious mental illness, following adjustment for sociodemographic and work characteristics and pre-injury mental health. The prevalence of serious mental illness at 18months was 16.6%. Low perceptions of informational justice, reported by 14.4% of respondents, were associated with a 2.58 times higher risk of serious mental illness (95% CI 1.30-5.10). Moderate and low perceptions of interpersonal justice, reported by 44.1% and 9.2% of respondents respectively, were associated with a 2.01 and 3.57 times higher risk of serious mental illness (95% CI moderate: 1.18-3.44, 95% CI poor: 1.81-7.06). This study provides further support for the impact of poor interactions with claims case managers on mental health, highlighting the importance of open and fair communication with workers' compensation claimants in ensuring timely recovery and return-to-work.

Effects of self-isolation and quarantine on loot box spending and excessive gaming-results of a natural experiment.

COVID-19 has prompted widespread self-isolation and citywide/countrywide lockdowns. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has encouraged increased digital social activities such as video game play to counteract social isolation during the pandemic. However, there is active debate about the potential for video game overuse, and some video games contain randomised purchases (loot boxes) that may psychologically approximate gambling. In this pre-registered study, we examined the effects of self-isolation and quarantine on excessive gaming and loot box spending. We recruited 1,144 (619 male, 499 female, 26 other) Australian, Aotearoa New Zealand, and US residents who self reported being quarantined or self-isolating (n = 447) or not (n = 619) during the COVID-19 pandemic to a cross-sectional natural experiment. We compared the associations between problem gambling symptomology, excessive gaming and loot box spending for isolated and non-isolated participants. Participants completed the Kessler-10 Psychological Distress Scale, Problem Gambling Severity Index, Internet Gaming Disorder Checklist, a measure of risky engagement with loot boxes, concern about contamination, and reported money spent on loot boxes in the past month, as well as whether they were quarantined or under self-isolation during the pandemic. Although, in our data, excessive gaming and loot box spending were not higher for isolated (self-isolated/ quarantined) compared to non-isolated gamers, the established association between problem gambling symptomology and loot box spending was stronger among isolated gamers than those not isolated. Concerns about being contaminated by germs was also significantly associated with greater excessive gaming and, to a lesser extent, loot box spending irrespective of isolation status. Gamers might be managing concerns about the pandemic with greater video game use, and more problem gamblers may be purchasing loot boxes during the pandemic. It is unclear whether these relationships may represent temporary coping mechanisms which abate when COVID-19 ends. Re-examination as the pandemic subsides may be required. More generally, the results suggest that social isolation during the pandemic may inflate the effect size of some media psychology and gaming effects. We urge caution not to generalise psychological findings from research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to be necessarily representative of the magnitude of relationships when not in a pandemic.

Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) Questionnaire Scores Can Predict Autistic Traits and the Current and Prospective Suicidal Ideation in Medical University Students: A Prospective Study

Mental distress is highly prevalent in university students, and autistic traits can hinder academic education. The substantial lifestyle changes experienced by new university students can induce mood and anxiety dysfunctions and subsequent suicide-related behaviors. The aims of this study were to evaluate the detectability of suicidal ideation using the Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) questionnaire, a short and easily administered measure, and to elucidate the relationship between K6 scores and developmental disorders following university admission in medical students. The mental states of 341 new students at University School of Medicine were prospectively evaluated using the short questionnaire including the K6 at admission and 6 months later. Participants were simultaneously assessed on the five core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), four features of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and presence of suicidal ideation on this short questionnaire. K6 scores were significantly higher 6 months after admission than at admission ( p = .028). Students with suicidal ideation had significantly higher K6 scores than those without ( p < .001), and K6 scores at admission differentiated students with suicidal ideation both at admission (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.947) and 6 months after admission (AUC = 0.913). K6 scores were positively correlated with scores of ASD- and ADHD-related items (ρ = .451 and .440, respectively) and with autism-spectrum quotient scores ( p = .041, ρ = .501). In conclusion, the K6 questionnaire may be useful in efficiently detecting university students with suicidal ideation or autistic traits.

A cross-sectional study of psychological distress among doctors' spouses during COVID-19

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and subsequent lockdown restrictions brought drastic changes in the lives of the people. Doctors' community led the fight against COVID-19 as frontline warriors leaving their families at home for prolonged periods. The psychological issues among the family members, particularly spouses of doctors, are significantly high and need special attention.Aims: We aimed to assess the level of psychological distress among doctors' spouses and the possible relationship between different variables and the level of the distress.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in online mode using chain-referral sampling method. Sample size was 120 and comprises doctors' spouses who were not related to medical field. Those who were working in medical field or having any past psychological illness were excluded from the study. A semi-structured pro forma was used to collect the basic demographic details, and Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was used to rate psychological distress.Results: 72.5% of the study population had reported psychological distress, and half of these participants reported severe psychological distress. Age was the single variable that had significance (P < 0.1), whereas other variables did not show statistically significant values.Conclusion: Psychological distress is much higher compared to the general population in the spouses of the doctors. In long run, this may result in psychological illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders. As a special group, these require targeted interventions and care for the prevention of severe mental health problems.

Mental health status of students pursuing professional training: A questionnaire-based study.

BACKGROUND:Globally, depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among the young and adolescents. Since we have limited data on the prevalence of psychological distress among the youth of India, our aim was to estimate the prevalence of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression among students of professional colleges.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This study was conducted in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (India). A total of 502 apparently healthy students have participated in this study. Data were collected from 243 medical students, 119 engineering students, 103 dental students, and 36 nursing students. A pretested, prevalidated, and structured Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was used for the assessment of mental health among students. This is a self-administered questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. Microsoft Office Excel was used for data storage and tabulation. Mean, standard deviation, Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and Kruskal–Wallis test were used to find the association difference between various parameters using SPSS 22 software.RESULTS:Out of 502 students, 34.7% of students were found to have normal mental health, 135 students were having mild mental problems, and 116 and 77 had moderate and severe mental illness, respectively. Out of 197 males, 66 were normal, 61, 46, and 24 had mild, moderate, and severe mental problems, respectively. Out of 305 females, only 108 were found to be normal.CONCLUSION:Male students were found to have higher prevalence of mental abnormalities. A significant higher prevalence of depression is seen in day-scholars compared to hostellers. Nursing students are having significantly higher prevalence of depression and nonpsychotic mental illness as compared to dental, engineering, and medical students. Medical students are having the lowest rate of depression than other nonmedical professional subjects.

Psychological Distress and Its Correlates among Newly Diagnosed People Living with HIV in Northwest Ethiopia: Ordinal Logistic Regression Analyses.

Background:Although there is a high burden of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), studies on mental health issues among people living with HIV are scarce. The study addressed the transition to “test and treat” guidelines for HIV, which makes it unique regarding its evaluation of psychological distress amongst newly initiated people living with HIV in the test and treat era.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 689 people newly diagnosed with HIV. Symptoms of psychological distress were measured using the Kessler-10 psychological distress assessment scale. Factors associated with psychological distress were captured using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were employed to identify predictors of psychological distress.Results:The magnitude of psychological distress was 58.63% (95% CI = 55.2%-62.3%). The severity of the psychological distress of which, 17.42% had severe distress. Psychological distress was observed more among female patients (β = 0.47, AOR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.12, 2.27), patients presented with opportunistic infections (β = 0.50, AOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.03, 2.66) and being non-working functional status (β = 0.99, AOR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.64, 4.45). Moreover, patients who were malnourished (β = 0.46, AOR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.09, 2.26), having good level of knowledge on HIV prevention (β = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.55, 0.39, 0.78), presented with sexually transmitted infection (β = 0.48, AOR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.01, 2.58), history of alcohol use (β = 0.44, AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.09, 2.21), perceived stigma (β = 0.08, AOR = 1.09 95% CI = 1.04, 1.15) and treated in health centers (β = 0.55, AOR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.25, 2.41) had higher odds of psychological distress.Conclusion:The large majority of newly diagnosed HIV patients suffered from psychological distress. An increased vulnerability was observed among females, those with opportunistic and sexually transmitted infections, those having poor functional status and malnourished. Furthermore, HIV patients treated in health centers, those who had history of alcohol use and patients with high level of HIV related stigma are more negatively affected by the HIV diagnosis. Hence, all intervention strategies should target all the identified predictors.