Mental Health Burden Research Articles

A scoping review of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people's health in India.

Amid incremental progress in establishing an enabling legal and policy environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified people, and people with intersex variations (LGBTQI+) in India, evidence gaps on LGBTQI+ health are of increasing concern. To that end, we conducted a scoping review to map and synthesize the current evidence base, identify research gaps, and provide recommendations for future research. We conducted a scoping review using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. We systematically searched 14 databases to identify peer-reviewed journal articles published in English language between January 1, 2010 and November 20, 2021, that reported empirical qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods data on LGBTQI+ people's health in India. Out of 3,003 results in total, we identified 177 eligible articles; 62% used quantitative, 31% qualitative, and 7% mixed methods. The majority (55%) focused on gay and other men who have sex with men (MSM), 16% transgender women, and 14% both of these populations; 4% focused on lesbian and bisexual women, and 2% on transmasculine people. Overall, studies reported high prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections; multilevel risk factors for HIV; high levels of mental health burden linked to stigma, discrimination, and violence victimization; and non-availability of gender-affirmative medical care in government hospitals. Few longitudinal studies and intervention studies were identified. Findings suggest that LGBTQI+ health research in India needs to move beyond the predominant focus on HIV, and gay men/MSM and transgender women, to include mental health and non-communicable diseases, and individuals across the LGBTQI+ spectrum. Future research should build on largely descriptive studies to include explanatory and intervention studies, beyond urban to rural sites, and examine healthcare and service needs among LGBTQI+ people across the life course. Increased Indian government funding for LGBTQI+ health research, including dedicated support and training for early career researchers, is crucial to building a comprehensive and sustainable evidence base to inform targeted health policies and programs moving forward.

Patient-identified Treatment Attributes Among Older Men With Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Qualitative Look at What Matters to Patients Making Treatment Decisions

To investigate which treatment attributes matter to patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), why and how they matter, and the context in which patients consider treatment attributes. Nearly a quarter of older men have decisional regret following SUI treatment. Knowledge of what matters to patients when making SUI treatment decisions is necessary to improve goal-concordant care. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 men ≥65 years of age with SUI. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone and transcribed. Four researchers (L.H., N.S., E.A., C.B.) coded the transcripts using both deductive and inductive codes to identify and describe treatment attributes. We identified 5 patient-derived treatment attributes of interest among older men with SUI who have faced treatment decisions: (1) dryness, (2) simplicity, (3) potential need for future intervention, (4) treatment regret/satisfaction, and (5) surgical avoidance. These themes reliably emerged in our patient-centered interviews from within various contexts, including prior negative healthcare experiences, the impact of incontinence on daily and quality of life, and the mental health burden of incontinence, among others. Men with SUI weigh a variety of treatment attributes in addition to dryness, a traditional clinical endpoint, and do so within the context of their individual experience. These additional attributes, such as simplicity, may run counter to the goal of dryness. This suggests that traditional clinical endpoints alone are not adequate for counseling patients. Contextualized patient-identified treatment attributes should be used to create decision-support materials to promote goal-concordant SUI treatment.

The promise of single-session interventions to inform stepped care approaches for complex mental health problems: Commentary on Schleider et al. (2023).

Schleider et al. (2023, International Journal of Eating Disorders) provide an overview and compelling rationale for incorporating single-session interventions (SSIs) into the eating disorder field. As intervention researchers working with complex mental health problems, including suicide risk, we agree that there is much to be gained by developing and deploying SSIs on a broader scale and for historically difficult-to-treat problems. In this commentary, we describe some additional strengths of the SSI approach and highlight their potential in the use of stepped care models of treatment. Ultimately, determining who could benefit from a low dose of treatment and for whom longer treatment is warranted could pave the way for addressing the current mental health burden.

Examining the connection between water concerns, water anxiety, and resilience among Indigenous persons: A systematic scoping review

Background & objectiveDespite Canada's and the United States' acceptance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), achieving equitable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)-related services among Indigenous peoples remain at issue for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Water anxiety is a mental health burden threatening resilience, given cultural stewardship imperatives for water well-being. Participants and settingsPeer-reviewed literature documenting water anxiety/insecurity was explored in relation to resilience among Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States (including Hawaii and Alaska). MethodsA systematic scoping review was conducted using three databases (Medline, Sociological Abstracts and PsycINFO) and key words pertaining to Indigenous Peoples, Canada, U.S., and water. Two reviewers screened and extracted each article. ResultsThe search yielded six quantitative studies. Large diversity among Indigenous communities resulted in different water concerns tied to geographical locales, industry, and the health of water bodies. Environmental concerns, poor access to safe drinking water, and negative effects of water insecurity (water costs, food scarcity) was associated with water anxiety. Indigenous ecological knowledge, cultural continuity, water advocacy, and participatory community interventions was associated with resilience. ConclusionThere is limited research exploring water anxiety and resilience among Indigenous communities. Particularly among women, water related health risks, concern for future generations, and cultural gender role expectations for water stewardship, contribute to water anxiety. An important next step is to recognize water anxiety as a mental health burden, and advance Indigenous-led research to not only optimally redress water inequities, but also the broader scope of its impact to ongoing trauma among Indigenous peoples.

Anxiety among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe: a systematic review protocol

BackgroundA growing number of studies point to a high mental health burden among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly concerning anxiety. However, the study quality and effect direction are heterogeneous in the existing primary studies with a lacking overview for the European continent. Therefore, this systematic review aims to critically synthesise the evidence regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety among children and adolescents in Europe compared to a pre-pandemic baseline.MethodsA systematic literature search will be performed in six databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and WHO COVID-19 database) with a peer reviewed search strategy according to the evidence-based checklist Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS). Inclusion criteria are children and adolescents ≤ 19 years living in Europe and data report during the COVID-19 pandemic with an appropriate pre-pandemic baseline. Primary outcomes are general anxiety symptoms and clinically relevant anxiety rates. Risk of bias will be assessed using the ‘Risk of Bias in Non-randomised Studies of Exposure’ (ROBINS-E). Data extraction will systematically include information on study design, population characteristics, COVID-19 determinants, pre-pandemic baseline, diagnostic instruments and outcome. The certainty of evidence for each outcome will be evaluated by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach adapted to the use of non-randomised studies. All process steps will be performed independently by two reviewers; any discrepancies will be discussed and, if necessary, resolved by a third author. Also, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, publication bias analysis, and meta-regression analysis, if applicable, will be performed. The systematic review was registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) and the protocol was prepared in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement.DiscussionThis systematic review will address the lack of a critical and comprehensive summary of findings on the COVID-19 pandemic impact on anxiety among children and adolescents in Europe. In addition, it aims to identify pandemic-policy differences, such as the effect of school-closures, and identify particularly vulnerable risk groups.Systematic review registrationCRD42022303714 (PROSPERO).

308. Increased Mental Health Burden Associated With Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Persists From Childhood to Early Adolescence, but is Not Mediated by Brain Gray Matter or Resting State Correlations

308. Increased Mental Health Burden Associated With Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Persists From Childhood to Early Adolescence, but is Not Mediated by Brain Gray Matter or Resting State Correlations

Effects of Neighborhood Disconnection on Psychological Distress and Suicide Risk Associated with Interpersonal Violence Within Racial Groups.

Negative mental health outcomes have been associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and intimate partner violence (IPV); however, few studies have identified risk and protective factors across levels of the social ecology that mitigate the onset of psychological distress and suicide risk associated with trauma. This study examines the relationship between ACEs, IPV, and mental health (i.e., psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts) within racial sub-populations of Black American, Latinx, and White adults.An online, cross-section survey was administered to a general population sample of adults in Baltimore and New York City. ACEs, IPV, and mental health outcomes were assessed within racial sub-populations of Black American (N = 390), Latinx (N = 178), and White (N = 339) adults, while accounting for within-group demographic differences. Moderating effects of social support and neighborhood disconnection on the relationship between ACEs, IPV, and mental health outcomes were also assessed.IPV was associated with psychological distress and suicidal ideation for Black and Latinx adults, but not for White adults. ACEs were associated with increased psychological distress for all three groups, and increased odds for suicidal ideation among Black and Latinx adults.. A significant negative interaction effect for neighborhood disconnection was found in the relationship between ACEs and psychological distress for Black adults.Findings highlight the significant mental health burdens of ACEs and IPV within racial and ethnic groups. Neighborhood disconnection may exacerbate psychological distress associated with ACEs among populations most impacted by interpersonal violence and mental health inequalities.

The Longitudinal Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Participants From the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study

to investigate the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on older Hispanic adults. A total of 522 participants (or their family member, if deceased) from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study were asked whether they had been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2, across 2 survey phases. In phase 1 (May - Aug 2020, n=497), participants answered survey questions related to SARS-CoV-2 exposure, diagnosis, and transmission and 5 family members reported deaths. In phase 2, participants were again surveyed (January - June 2021; n=420, and 2 family members reported deaths). SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and/or death apparently from SARS-CoV-2 was self-reported. In 2020, 5.2% reported that they had been SARS-CoV-2 positive; by June 2021, a cumulative 11.0% reported having been SARS-CoV-2 positive (including cases and deaths in the first survey). A total of 7 participants (1.3%) reportedly died from SARS-CoV-2. Language acculturation was significantly lower among participants with SARS-CoV-2 (13.7 ± 17.9) vs. without SARS-CoV-2 (20.0 ± 21.4; P = 0.049). Mean length of return to usual health was 28 ± 38 days (range: 0-210 days; median = 15 days). Depressive symptomatology was significantly lower during the pandemic (CES-D score: 13.4 ± 11.6) compared to the same participants pre-pandemic (17.8 ± 11.7; P = 0.001). Compared to the months before the pandemic, 32% (n=135) of participants reported greater communication with friends and family, and 41% (n=172) reported no change. Public health models should be personalized to communities, considering their unique structures and cultural beliefs. Social resiliency may be key for future programmatic responses to pandemics to reduce the mental health burden.

A cluster randomised, 16-week, parallel-group multicentre trial to compare the effectiveness of a digital school-based cognitive behavioural resilience/wellbeing-building intervention targeting emotional and behavioural problems in vulnerable Year 4 primary school children in whole classes, to the usual school curriculum: a study protocol to the “CUES for Schools” trial

BackgroundAround 10% of school-aged children experience mental health difficulties. Many more are ‘vulnerable’: experiencing emotional and/or behavioural problems reaching clinical levels, and thus at greatest risk of future mental illness. The trial aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the CUES for schools programme in reducing emotional and behavioural problems in vulnerable children.MethodsThe “CUES for Schools” study is a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial in primary schools in south east England. Schools will be randomised to receive the usual school curriculum, or the CUES programme (1:1). We aim to enrol 74 schools (5550 children including 2220 vulnerable children). CUES is a whole-class teacher-facilitated interactive digital cognitive-behavioural intervention, delivered as 24 short (20-min) modules over 12 weeks, targeting emotional/behavioural regulation skills. Children self-report emotional/behavioural problems at baseline, 8, and 16 weeks, and wellbeing and cognitive vulnerability at 0 and 16 weeks. Adverse events are assessed at 8 and 16 weeks. Teachers rate classroom behaviour at baseline and 16 weeks. School senior leadership teams and individual teachers consent to involvement in the study; parents can opt their child out of CUES sessions, assessments, or research. Children can similarly opt out and assent to research participation. The primary objective of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of CUES for schools compared to the usual school curriculum in improving emotional/behavioural problems for vulnerable Year 4 (8–9 years old) children at 16 weeks post-randomisation, as measured using a standardised questionnaire designed for primary schools. The secondary objective is to investigate the impact of the CUES for schools programme on both vulnerable and non-vulnerable children on wellbeing and teacher-rated classroom behaviour.DiscussionThe study will show whether CUES for schools is more effective than the usual curriculum in reducing emotional and behavioural problems in vulnerable Year 4 children, and thus reducing the risk of mental health difficulties in later adolescent and adult life. As a digital, teacher-facilitated intervention, CUES for schools can be readily implemented, at minimal cost. If effective, CUES for schools therefore has the potential to reduce the impact of emotional/behavioural difficulties on children’s learning, behaviour, and relationships and the burden of future mental health morbidity.Trial registrationTrial Registration ISRCTN11445338. Registered on September 12, 2022.

A disproportionate burden: Prevalence of trauma and mental health difficulties among sexual minority versus heterosexual U.S. military veterans

This study examined sociodemographic, military, and trauma characteristics, and mental health concerns that differ by sexual orientation in a nationally representative sample of U.S. military veterans. Data were analyzed from 4069 veterans who participated in the National Health and Resilience Veterans Study (NHRVS). Compared with veterans who self-reported as heterosexual (n = 3,491, 94.7%), sexual minority veterans (n = 161, 5.3%) were more likely to be younger, women, Hispanic, unmarried/partnered, have lower household income, and to have enlisted in the military, and served for 4–9 years (relative to 3 or less or 10 or more). After adjusting for demographic variables, sexual minority veterans remained more likely to report childhood sexual abuse (odds ratio [OR] = 2.82), military sexual trauma (OR = 2.29), adverse childhood experiences (Cohen's d = 0.11), current and lifetime drug use disorder (ORs = 3.66 and 2.41, respectively), current alcohol use disorder (OR = 1.62), current and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; ORs = 2.03 and 1.55, respectively), non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI; OR = 3.19), and future suicide intent (OR = 2.65). Among sexual minority veterans, more years of military service was associated with greater odds of lifetime PTSD, and lower annual household income with greater odds of lifetime drug use disorder and NSSI. Consistent with research in non-veterans, results suggest that sexual minority veterans experience greater trauma and mental health burden relative to their heterosexual peers. They further underscore the importance of interventions that prevent and mitigate adverse mental health outcomes in this population.

Revisiting COVID-19 and Occupational Mental Health.

This cross-sectional study aimed to describe the frequency of psychological sequelae of COVID-19 in healthcare workers (HCWs) conducted at The Aga University Hospital, from May to July 2020. The data collection was done online using a demographics questionnaire, concern of COVID-19 scale, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and Impact of event scale. A total of 560 responses were received. Nearly 25% of participants had moderate to severe anxiety or psychological distress due to COVID-19. Female responders reported more anxiety compared to males. (p= 0.001. The doctors and nurses reported significant psychological distress (p=0.046). The participants with moderate to severe anxiety and psychological distress reported statistically significant high levels of concern of the following: inadequate protective measures, contracting and spreading COVID-19, medical violence, and deteriorating quality of patient interaction due to COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted areas of development for occupational healthcare policy development in Pakistan. Implementation of contextualised solutions, especially psychosocial determinants is necessary to mitigate the invisible mental health burden and its impact on HCWs in Pakistan. Key Words: Occupational mental health, Pakistan, Anxiety, Depression.

PD20-03 GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG TRANSGENDER AND GENDER DIVERSE YOUTH

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD20-03 GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG TRANSGENDER AND GENDER DIVERSE YOUTH Helen Sun, Kirtishri Mishra, Jaime Abraham Perez, Regina M Casselberry, Kimberly Tay, Nicholas Sellke, Swagata Banik, and Shubham Gupta Helen SunHelen Sun More articles by this author , Kirtishri MishraKirtishri Mishra More articles by this author , Jaime Abraham PerezJaime Abraham Perez More articles by this author , Regina M CasselberryRegina M Casselberry More articles by this author , Kimberly TayKimberly Tay More articles by this author , Nicholas SellkeNicholas Sellke More articles by this author , Swagata BanikSwagata Banik More articles by this author , and Shubham GuptaShubham Gupta More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003286.03AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: While a growing number of children and adolescents identify as transgender or gender diverse (TGD), little is known about TGD youth and current gender-affirming therapy (GAT). We aim to define the current demographic profile and treatments for TGD youth in the United States (US). We also aim to determine the burden of comorbid mental health disorders (MHD) and whether GAT affects suicidality. METHODS: TriNetX, a de-identified health research network with 70 health care organizations in the US from 2014 to the present, was accessed on August 4, 2022. All patients ≤17 years of age with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria (GD) were identified using ICD-10 codes. Patients were further categorized into cohorts with or without MHD. Clinical data including demographics, comorbidities, medications, surgeries, and documented suicide attempts (SA) were collected. Statistical analysis was done with independent t-tests or chi-square tests. RESULTS: A total of 18,938 youth with a diagnosis of GD were identified. A majority of patients were assigned female at birth (69.5%). Only 10.9% had received puberty suppression therapy (PST) and 13.8% received gender-affirming hormone therapy (HT) at time of analysis. Chest surgery or gonadectomy was documented in 510 (2.7%) patients; 38.2% had their first gender-affirming surgery (GAS) prior to adulthood. Most patients had a concurrent MHD diagnosis (70.7%), and the MHD group was older at diagnosis compared to the no MHD group (14.2 vs. 13.5 years, p<0.001). While there was no significant difference in time from GD diagnosis to start of PST between groups (214.1 vs. 244.3 days, p=0.079), patients in the MHD group took longer to start HT (359.9 vs 230.5 days, p<0.001) and to undergo first GAS (590.8 vs. 257.8 days, p<0.001). The MHD group was more likely to have SA before (3.9% vs. 0.6%, p<0.001) and after GD diagnosis (11.7% vs. 0.4%, p<0.001). SA events decreased after HT initiation compared to before HT initiation (6.4% vs. 8.1%, p<0.001), including for patients with SA prior to HT (37.3% vs. 62.7%, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: TGD youth suffer from a high incidence of MHD, which is associated with longer time to HT and GAS after diagnosis of GD. Overall surgical intervention is low for all TGD youth. Future study is needed to facilitate access to GAT among TGD youth to address the disproportionate mental health burden. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e584 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Helen Sun More articles by this author Kirtishri Mishra More articles by this author Jaime Abraham Perez More articles by this author Regina M Casselberry More articles by this author Kimberly Tay More articles by this author Nicholas Sellke More articles by this author Swagata Banik More articles by this author Shubham Gupta More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Impact of COVID-19 on mental health in Bhutan: a way forward for action.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impact mental health and wellbeing globally. There is a lack of scientific documentation highlighting the mental health impact of COVID-19 in Bhutan. We present the mental health burdens and control measures taken, and suggest ways to further strengthen mental health services in Bhutan. During the pandemic, a rise in depression and anxiety had been reported in Bhutan. Depression rose from an average prevalence of 9 per 10,000 between 2011 and 2019 to 16 per 10,000 in 2020 and 32 per 10,000 in 2021. Similarly, anxiety rose from an average prevalence of 18 per 10,000, to 29 per 10,000 in 2020, and 55 per 10,000 in 2021. Psychological impacts related to isolation due to lockdowns, economic losses, and poor coping abilities were associated with negative outcomes. Stigma and discrimination towards mental health disorders discouraged mentally distressed people from seeking care. In response to increased demand, Bhutan's government initiated a range of interventions including home delivery of medicines and tele-counselling to people in need of urgent mental health care. Mental health care in Bhutan can be further improved through investment in services and human resources, and decentralization of services to the community.

Evaluating the psychosocial status of BC children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: A MyHEARTSMAP cross-sectional study.

Understanding the psychosocial status of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic is vital to the appropriate and adequate allocation of social supports and mental health resources. This study evaluates the burden of mental health concerns and the impact of demographic factors while tracking mental health service recommendations to inform community service needs. MyHEARTSMAP is a digital self-assessment mental health evaluation completed by children and their guardian throughout British Columbia between August 2020 to July 2021. Severity of mental health concerns was evaluated across psychiatric, social, functioning, and youth health domains. Proportional odds modelling evaluated the impact of demographic factors on severity. Recommendations for support services were provided based on the evaluation. We recruited 541 families who completed 424 psychosocial assessments on individual children. Some degree of difficulty across the psychiatric, social, or functional domains was reported for more than half of children and adolescents. Older youth and those not attending any formal school or education program were more likely to report greater psychiatric difficulty. Girls experienced greater social concerns, and children attending full-time school at-home were more likely to identify difficulty within the youth health domain but were not more likely to have psychiatric difficulties. Considerations to access community mental health service were triggered in the majority (74%) of cases. Psychosocial concerns are highly prevalent amongst children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on identified needs of this cohort, additional community health supports are required, particularly for higher risk groups.

Perceived Nexus Between Non-Invigilated Summative Assessment and Mental Health Difficulties: A Cross Sectional Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly led to changes in the mode of teaching, learning and assessments in most tertiary institutions worldwide. Notably, non-invigilated summative assessments became predominant. These changes heightened anxiety and depression, especially among individuals with less resilient coping mechanism. We explored the perceptions and experiences of mental health difficulties of students in tertiary education regarding non-invigilated alternative assessments in comparison to invigilated assessments. A pragmatic, mixed method cross sectional design was conducted online via Qualtrics. Thematic analysis of text was carried out using NVivo 12. In the quantitative analysis, univariable and multivariable ordinal logistic models were used to examine the potential factors for preference among students in higher education. A total of 380 Nursing and Social Science students responded to the survey. Approximately 77% of students perceived non-invigilated assessments to be less stressful compared to invigilated exams. Age, course of study, stage of studies, and number of units enrolled per semester were identified as significant drivers for students’ perceived preference for non-invigilated assessments. There was an inverse relationship between the perception of stress associated with invigilated exams and the age of students. For instance, students aged between 18-24 were 5 times more likely to prefer non-invigilated exams compared to those aged 55 or more. Comparatively, students in early stages of studies had higher preference for non-invigilated assessments. However, there was a preference reversal for students enrolled in 2 or less units per semester. Social sciences students were two times more likely to prefer non-invigilated examinations to invigilated examinations compared to nursing students. The findings reinforce the use of alternative assessments in higher education as a mitigating agency to lessen the mental health burden of tertiary students in post COVID-19 era.

Contributors to mental health resilience in middle-aged and older adults: an analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Identifying the correlates of mental health resilience (MHR)-defined as the discrepancy between one's reported current mental health and one's predicted mental health based on their physical performance-may lead to strategies to alleviate the burden of poor mental health in aging adults. Socioeconomic factors, such as income and education, may promote MHR via modifiable factors, such as physical activity and social networks. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Multivariable generalized additive models characterized the associations between socioeconomic and modifiable factors with MHR. Data were taken from the population-based Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), which collected data at various data collection sites across Canada. Approximately 31,000 women and men between the ages of 45 and 85 years from the comprehensive cohort of the CLSA. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Physical performance was measured objectively using a composite of grip strength, sit-to-stand, and balance performance. Socioeconomic and modifiable factors were measured by self-report questionnaires. Household income, and to a lesser extent, education were associated with greater MHR. Individuals reporting more physical activity and larger social networks had greater MHR. Physical activity accounted for 6% (95% CI: 4 to 11%) and social network accounted for 16% (95% CI: 11 to 23%) of the association between household income and MHR. The burden of poor mental health in aging adults may be alleviated through targeted interventions involving physical activity and social connectedness for individuals with lower socioeconomic resources.

Association between mental health symptoms and behavioral performance in younger vs. older online workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with increased rates of mental health problems, particularly in younger people. We quantified mental health of online workers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and cognition during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020. A pre-registered data analysis plan was completed, testing the following three hypotheses: reward-related behaviors will remain intact as age increases; cognitive performance will decline with age; mood symptoms will worsen during the pandemic compared to before. We also conducted exploratory analyses including Bayesian computational modeling of latent cognitive parameters. Self-report depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 8) and anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder 7) prevalence were compared from two samples of Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers ages 18-76: pre-COVID 2018 (N = 799) and peri-COVID 2020 (N = 233). The peri-COVID sample also completed a browser-based neurocognitive test battery. We found support for two out of three pre-registered hypotheses. Notably our hypothesis that mental health symptoms would increase in the peri-COVID sample compared to pre-COVID sample was not supported: both groups reported high mental health burden, especially younger online workers. Higher mental health symptoms were associated with negative impacts on cognitive performance (speed/accuracy tradeoffs) in the peri-COVID sample. We found support for two hypotheses: reaction time slows down with age in two of three attention tasks tested, whereas reward function and accuracy appear to be preserved with age. This study identified high mental health burden, particularly in younger online workers, and associated negative impacts on cognitive function.

An analytical survey among academic satisfaction and mental stress of students’ in COVID-19

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has shown a significant impact on the psychological wellbeing of health care workers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of allied health sciences students in Bangalore. During the months of January and April 2022, 200 completed a survey containing measures of depression, anxiety and stress [using depression anxiety and stress-21 scale (DASS-21)] and questions regarding potential predictors such as the role of COVID-19 perception, availability of mental health support and study-related factors. The student t-test revealed factors associated with the presence of significant psychiatric symptoms. Methods: An online survey of a sample consisting of 140 students assessed sociodemographic, DASS 21 and their emotions and concerns during the outbreak. Results: Among the participants, 63,6% screened positive for moderate depression, 25% for moderate and sever anxiety and 35% and 64.7% for mild stress. Girls reported significantly more depression, anxiety, and stress than boys. Those who received mental health support reported significantly lesser depression, anxiety, and stress. Those who felt that quality of life was heavily impacted due to COVID-19 reported significantly high depression, anxiety, and stress. Most of the students were having mild degree of depression, anxiety and stress. Conclusions: Poor psychological well-being was prevalent in allied health sciences students; however, mental health measures have been shown to significantly reduce the mental health burden academically.

Mental health trajectories of Brazilian health workers during two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021).

This study aimed to: (a) monitor the progression of symptoms of mental health burden among frontline workers caring for COVID-19 patients in Brazil during the two waves of the pandemic, considering the number of new cases and deaths, and; (b) to verify the different mental health outcomes and potential associations with current burnout symptoms. A non-probabilistic sample of health professionals was assessed as the pandemic progressed in Brazil (May/2020 August/2021). Standardized instruments focusing on anxiety, depression, insomnia, post-traumatic stress, and burnout symptoms were applied online. The results indicate a decrease in anxiety levels, what was related to when the number of new cases declined (end 1th-wave); symptoms returned to higher levels later. Emotional exhaustion increased when there was a higher incidence of cases, returning to the baseline levels at the end of the second wave. Depersonalization symptoms increased in this phase, characterized by a further decrease in new cases, while professional accomplishment decreased during the follow-up. The highest number of new cases was associated with a higher frequency of anxiety (OR = 1.467;95%CI = 1.109-1.941; p = 0.007) and professional accomplishment (OR = 1.490;95%CI = 1.098-2.023; p = 0.011). The subjects with trajectory of resilience against anxiety presented the lowest level of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (p < 0.05). The conclusion is that the pressure experienced by healthcare professionals throughout the pandemic caused different impacts on their mental health, emphasizing the dynamic nature of this condition and the need for constant monitoring and care. This finding directly affects mental health prevention and intervention measures, which remain a priority and require continuous reinforcement, especially among the most vulnerable groups.

Strong Mind, Strong Body: The Promise of Mind-Body Interventions to Address Growing Mental Health Needs Among Youth.

As the prevalence of childhood and adolescent anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns continues to rise, there has been an unprecedented increase in support of mind-body practices like yoga, dance, meditation, mindfulness, aerobic exercise, and more-in part driven by the mental health burden imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While a growing body of evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of mind-body approaches, gaps in funding for and empirical research on mechanistic underpinnings, methodology development to assess multi-component therapeutic practices, dissemination and implementation, and diversity in researchers, practitioners, and recipients remain. As a consequence, the neurobiological impacts of mind-body techniques are not well understood nor broadly accepted as standard forms of care by clinicians and insurers-often being considered as 'alternative' rather than 'complementary' or 'integrative'. In this commentary, we summarize work from our labs and others highlighting the promise of mind-body approaches for improving mental health in youth, in line with the National Institute of Mental Health's strategic plan to address health disparities. We offer a potential framework for implementation and research-the Expressive Therapies Continuum. We also propose solutions to key research and policy gaps, that by could have positive public health impacts for those who are struggling and to prevent emergence of psychiatric illness, especially in developing youth.