Mental Health In General Population Research Articles

Adult Acne in Middle-age: Effects on Mental Health in General Population of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966.

The impact of adult acne on patients' mental health has not been widely studied, and most studies have been conducted within specific patient populations. The current study examines the association between adult acne and psychological symptoms in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) (n = 1,907). The cohort members attended a health study at the age of 46 years, which comprised a whole-body examination performed by dermatologists to identify acne, and answering the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and 15-dimensional measure of health-related quality of life (15D HRQoL) questionnaires. The prevalence of adult acne was 7.9% (n = 150) with no statistical differences between the sexes. Cases with acne presented more (18.9%) depressive symptoms (BDI-II > 14 points) compared with those without acne (9.7%) (p < 0.001). In adjusted logistic regression analyses, those with acne had a 2-fold risk (odds ratio (OR) 2.08, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.23-3.38) of having depressive symptoms compared with controls. In conclusion, when treating adult acne patients, it is important to recognize the increased risk of mental health symptoms.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of general population: A comparison study between rural and urban population

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the mental health of the population globally with the increase in cases of depression, suicide, and self-harm. According to the World Health Organization, there has been an increase of 28% and 26% in major depressive disorders and anxiety, respectively, during 1 year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only a few studies had been conducted in India assessing mental health, especially the post hoc effect of a pandemic. Therefore, the current study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in rural against urban populations as well as the contributing factors viz age, gender, socioeconomic class, change in occupation, and income. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2021 to February 2022 among participants residing in the area covered by the Urban Health Training Centre (Ajmera, Pimpri, Pune) and Rural Health Training Centre (Alandi, Pune) of a medical college in Pune. One hundred fifty-four participants (total of 308) above 18 years of age who were not diagnosed or under treatment for psychiatric illness were interviewed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale - 21 (DASS-21) to screen for anxiety, depression, and stress in each setting. Results: Overall prevalence of mental distress was 35.71% (n = 110). In the rural area, it was 29.2% (n = 45) as compared to 42.2% (n = 65). in the urban category. The prevalence of depression was significantly higher in urban areas (33.1%) compared to rural areas (19.4%), with an overall prevalence of 26.3%. The net prevalence of anxiety and stress was 35.7% and 15.6%, respectively, which were also higher in urban areas (Anxiety OR = 1.769, P = 0.018*; Stress OR = 2.262, P = 0.013). The upper middle class had the least psychological problems. Overall, 11% of participants had lost their jobs; 48.75% in rural and 37% of urban participants had a decrease in their income. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased burden of mental illness. The prevalence of mental health problems is alarmingly high, especially in urban communities. To combat the global mental health pandemic, the interventions that mediate psychological distress must be quickly implemented. Due importance should be given to mental healthcare in the community.

Vulnerabilities in Mental Health due to Covid-19 Pandemic: The Response of the Italian Physicians

COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the pre-existing vulnerabilities and inequalities in societies. In this paper we analyse the categories that have suffered more than others from the pandemic and the restrictions on social life in terms of mental health. We rely on the Serendipity project based on a survey administered between November 2021 and February 2022 to a sample of Italian physicians (n = 1281). The survey aimed to assess the perception of general practitioners, paediatricians, geriatricians, and mental health specialists (psychiatrists, neurologists, child neuropsychiatrists), about changes in the mental health of the population as an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown. The strategies implemented by the doctors interviewed in terms of the intensity of the prevention, emergence, and treatment of mental health interventions, and their association with physicians’ characteristics and their opinions on patient vulnerability have been illustrated by means of a multiple correspondence analysis. An overall result of the survey is the consensus of doctors on the worsening of mental health in general population, especially among their patients, due to the pandemic and on the onset of new discomforts. The most exposed individuals to the risk of onset or worsening of mental disorders include women, young people, and patients with psychiatric comorbidity. The paper also illustrates the interventions put in place by the physicians and deemed necessary from a public heath response perspective, that include providing psychoeducation to the general population, improving telehealth services, and increasing financial and human resources for community-based care.

Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among caretakers of COVID 19 and caretakers of non COVID 19 patients: A comparative study

All over the world, the public is being informed about the physical effects of COVID-19 infection and protocols are being made to prevent exposure to the corona virus and manage symptoms of COVID‐19 if they appear. However, the effects of this pandemic on individual’s mental health and behavior have not been studied in detail and are still not known. Efforts are being made to focus on understanding the clinical features, routes of transmission, epidemiology, and management of the COVID‐19 outbreak, there has been very little concern expressed over the effects on one's mental health and on strategies to prevent stress. The aim of this study was to assess the post traumatic stress disorder symptoms among the care takers of COVID-19 patients and care takers of non COVID-19 patients and compare the results to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of the population associated with the COVID-19 patients. This may help in future in early detecting the post traumatic stress disorder associated with covid-19 or any other pandemic and may help in taking early measures to avoid it and improve the mental health of general population. The study finding revealed that among care takers of covid-19 patients majority of study subjects (93.3%) had complicated PTSD, (6.7%) had Diagnostic PTSD and none of the subjects had Partial PTSD whereas, among care takers of non covid-19 patients majority of study subjects (36.7%) had Partial PTSD, (26.7%) had complicated PTSD, (23.3%) had no PTSD and (13.3%) had diagnostic PTSD. This indicates that the covid-19 had more psychological impact on the care takers than any other life threatening disease. This may be due to fast dissemination of covid-19, more deaths attributed to the pandemic and care takers concern for his/her health. The study concluded that the covid-19 had more psychological impact on the care takers than any other disease conditions. So there is need to improve the strategies to reduce the risk of developing PTSD symptoms in this group of population.

Time trends in mental health indicators in Germany's adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to compromise mental health. Despite a large number of studies, evidence on the development of mental health in general populations during the pandemic is inconclusive. One reason may be that representative data spanning the whole pandemic and allowing for comparisons to pre-pandemic data are scarce. We analyzed representative data from telephone surveys of Germany's adults. Three mental health indicators were observed in ~1,000 and later up to 3,000 randomly sampled participants monthly until June 2022: symptoms of depression (observed since April 2019, PHQ-2), symptoms of anxiety (GAD-2), and self-rated mental health (latter two observed since March 2021). We produced time series graphs including estimated three-month moving means and proportions of positive screens (PHQ/GAD-2 score ≥ 3) and reports of very good/excellent mental health, as well as smoothing curves. We also compared time periods between years. Analyses were stratified by sex, age, and level of education. While mean depressive symptom scores declined from the first wave of the pandemic to summer 2020, they increased from October 2020 and remained consistently elevated throughout 2021 with another increase between 2021 and 2022. Correspondingly, the proportion of positive screens first decreased from 11.1% in spring/summer 2019 to 9.3% in the same period in 2020 and then rose to 13.1% in 2021 and to 16.9% in 2022. While depressive symptoms increased in all subgroups at different times, developments among women (earlier increase), the youngest (notable increase in 2021) and eldest adults, as well as the high level of education group (both latter groups: early, continuous increases) stand out. However, the social gradient in symptom levels between education groups remained unchanged. Symptoms of anxiety also increased while self-rated mental health decreased between 2021 and 2022. Elevated symptom levels and reduced self-rated mental health at the end of our observation period in June 2022 call for further continuous mental health surveillance. Mental healthcare needs of the population should be monitored closely. Findings should serve to inform policymakers and clinicians of ongoing dynamics to guide health promotion, prevention, and care.

The Global Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health of General Population: A Narrative Review

Mental wellness is a crucial component of happiness. A person is happy with better relationships, financial stability, good mental health, and longevity. Disinformation, stigma, ongoing isolation, and disruption of daily activities are all quite prevalent. Any of these elements may impact one's mental health. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken several steps to address COVID's mental health concerns. In addition to frontline healthcare personnel, who engage in dealing with COVID-19, the general population's mental health was also at stake due to the unprecedented and catastrophic emergency of COVID. Various keywords, including MeSH terms, were used in PubMedand Google Scholar searches. This paper was based on previously available data and article searches on how COVID-19 affected the mental health of the general population and the elements that may influence it. Quarantine and self-isolation have been found to have affected people's daily livelihoods andbehaviors, leading toincreased feelings of loneliness, anxiety, dejection, insomnia, risky alcohol and drug use, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. Many of the victims of COVID-19 who were critical survivors exhibited lasting psychological harm a year after being discharged, including high anxiety levels, melancholy, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Healthcare employees too experienced significant psychological consequences due to factors such as an excessive workload or the number of hours worked, inadequate personal safety equipment, overly enthusiastic media coverage, and a sense of being under-supported. As a result of this major disaster, mental health concerns have surfaced, perhaps leading to long-term health problems, loneliness, and guilt. To reduce this deportment, global health solutions should be used, particularly while executing the isolation/quarantine and dealing with the people with fearand vulnerability. The mental health ofthe general population should be at the forefront of any worldwide response.

Sleep quality in the Croatian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic as a worldwide public health issue is a traumatic event that has affected both the sleep and mental health of the general population. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of sleep in the Croatian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted from February to June 2021 period. A validated, anonymous questionnaire that contained questions regarding demographic data, as well as Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) was self-administered to a convenient sample of Croatian adults from central and northwestern Croatia. Results The study sample included 939 subjects with, median age of 42 years (interquartile range 35-48), 35.4% males, and 64.6% females. At the PSQI 22.6% of subjects presented sleep disturbances while at the CAS 0.4% of subjects presented dysfunctional anxiety associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep disturbances were more frequent among females (p &amp;lt; 0.001), inhabitants of the Croatian capital Zagreb (p = 0.001), subjects who were not infected with COVID-19 virus (p = 0.042), subjects who had fear of coronavirus infection in the workplace (p &amp;lt; 0.001), subjects who had fear of coronavirus infection during daily life activities (p &amp;lt; 0.001), subjects who had fear of coronavirus infection during daily physical activities (p &amp;lt; 0.001), subjects who worked with limited social contact (p = 0.005), and subjects with dysfunctional anxiety associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.003). Conclusions Poor sleep quality is common during the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia. Identifying factors associated with poor sleep would help develop specific intervention programs that enhance mental health and sleep quality during pandemics. Key messages • The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant negative influence on the mental health of the Croatian general population. • Appropriate supportive programs and interventional approaches directed toward the general population are needed to address mental health problems in Croatia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Child, adolescent, and parent mental health in general population during a year of COVID-19 pandemic in belgium: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThis study aims to evaluate the mental health status of children, adolescents and their parents during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium.MethodAnalysis compared results before and during the second national lockdown, which started on November 2nd 2020. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between May 2020 and April 2021.ResultsTwo hundred and eighteen adults and 273 children fully completed the survey. Almost one in five children (17.9%) presented moderate-to-severe scores of depression. Adolescents presented a higher level of depression than children (p = 0.007). The rate of moderate-to-severe depression scores (10.8% to 21%, p = 0.007) and internalized symptoms increased during the second lockdown (p < 0.001). Parents' depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p = 0.027) levels also increased during the second lockdown. Logistic regression showed that the use of psychotropic medication in parents and parents’ depression scores were risk factors for children to have worse depression scores.ConclusionThe second lockdown appears to worsen the effects of the pandemic on children’s and parents’ mental health. There is a need to implement specific interventions targeting both children/adolescents and their parents to support them during lockdown periods and improve mental health outcomes.

Impact of the Pandemic on Psychiatric Research and Publications

In addition to the global negative impact on mental health of general population, as well as psychiatric patients, Covid-19 pandemic affected significantly research. Initially, lockdowns and restrictions of human contacts temporarily disrupted clinical research activities, but the unprecedented health crisis also provided unique opportunity to study epidemiology of mental disorders, direct and indirect effects of the pandemic on psychiatric disorders, underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, or long-term neuropsychiatric consequences. Research has refocused now on better understanding of the causes, presentations, outcome trajectories, and therapy of mental illnesses. New research topics are followed by the surge in publications covering Covid-19 and mental health and/or psychiatric disorders and treatments. The impact of the pandemic on research and publications is also evidenced by the results of a survey among psychiatric researchers.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Age-related differences in functional capacity, physical activity, life satisfaction, well-being and quality of life in Turkish adult population during COVID-19

Purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical and mental health of general population has been adversely affected. This study aims to investigate if there are age-related differences in functional capacity, physical activity, life satisfaction, well-being and quality of life among adults of different age groups during this era.&#x0D; Methods: One-hundred fifty participants aged between 18-65 years were included. Participants were divided into 5 age groups, with 30 people in each age group i.e., 18-25, 25-35, 35-45, 45-55, and 55-65 years, using a block randomization. Functional capacity was evaluated with 1-minute sit-to-stand test (1-min STST); level of physical activity with International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF); life satisfaction with The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS); well-being with WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5); and the quality of life with Short Form-12 (SF-12). All assessments were applied via an online form.&#x0D; Results: Age negatively correlated to 1-min STST (p

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BACKGROUND:Duration of untreated psychosis refers to the time elapsing between onset of psychosis and treatment initiation. The fact that schizophrenia generally begins in the late adolescence/adulthood, that it often remains untreated for a long time before being recognized and treated, and that it frequently shows a chronic, recurrent and disabling course, dramatically impact on the relational and functional life of patients and care givers. For this reason, the first episode of psychosis, considered as the early stage of schizophrenia, is classically viewed as a critical period.AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:1) To estimate the duration of untreated psychosis and its variation over the years.2) To determine possible correlation between duration of untreated psychosis and other independent variables.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This is a retrospective case record study. Data is collected from medical records department of a tertiary care psychiatric hospital, every five years starting from 1995 to 2020 with a sample size of 50 each year. The data is entered in a data collection sheet. The duration of untreated psychosis and its variation over the years has been estimated. Multivariate analysis to look for possible correlation between duration of untreated psychosis and other independent variables like sociodemographic details, predominant presenting symptoms, presence of aggression and mode of onset of symptoms has been done.RESULTS:The mean duration of untreated psychosis shows a decreasing trend over the years from 1995 to 2020. Most common variables correlating with shorter DUPs include positive symptoms, presence of aggression and male gender.CONCLUSION:Various factors could be attributable to this reduction in duration of untreated psychosis including increasing in awareness about mental health in general population, inception of district mental health programs and reduction in stigma towards mental health. Yet, the present DUP is higher when compared with developed countries.REFERENCES: 1) Prospective study of duration of untreated psychosis and outcome of never-treated patients with schizophrenia in India Jagadisha Thirthalli 1, Naveen Kumar Channaveerachari, Doddaballapura K Subbakrishna, Linda B Cottler, Mathew Varghese, Bangalore N Gangadhar2) An exploratory evaluation of predictors of duration of untreated psychosis in first-episode psychosis in lower income patients Ankita Mishra 1, Abha Bang Soni 2, Maithili S Umate 3, Chittaranjan Andrade 4

Consequences of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of general population in India

Background: COVID-19 pandemic poses a challenge to mental health. The perception of stress and its adaptation are determined by individual’s risk perception and coping mechanisms. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the perceived stress and behavioral responses owing to COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The online survey recruited 621 respondents. The survey included (1) sociodemographic variables, (2) Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)-10 item inventory, (3) four items on experience of stress, and (4) eight items on mental health-related lifestyle changes and societal support during the pandemic. Results: Out of 621, majority were females (54.1%) and belonged to the age group of 18–30 years (66.02%). Moderate perceived stress was observed in 67.1% of the respondents. The mean PSS scores were significantly higher among females, age group of 18–30 years, unmarried, educational qualification below undergraduation, and students. Higher perception of work and financial stress were present in 52.67% and 48.3%, respectively. Increased concern about family and vulnerability was confirmed by 89.05% and 54.59%, respectively. Increased work stress was negatively associated with attention toward mental health, emotional support, physical activity, and hobbies. Greater concern for family and vulnerability had showed positive association with attention toward mental health, emotional support, and protective behavior. Conclusion: In COVID-19 pandemic, females, younger age, and students had significantly higher stress perception. Work and financial stress were associated with maladaptive responses, whereas concern about family and feeling vulnerable were accompanied by positive adaptive responses. Thus, evaluating the cognitive and behavioral responses to stressors is imperative to quantify individual’s stress perception during exposure to a stressful situation such as pandemic.

Loneliness in Young Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19 Lockdown: Results From the Multicentric COMET Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental and physical health of the general population at any age, but it is expected to have a protracted and severe consequences for younger populations. The pandemic has had several consequences on mental health including anger and irritability, depressive symptoms and somatic complaints, insomnia, lack of motivation, and loneliness. In particular, loneliness and its related negative feelings are thought to be particularly pronounced during young adulthood because of the many social changes that young people deal with during this period of life. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the type of impact of the pandemic on the mental health of young people and their levels of loneliness experienced during the first phase of the lockdown. Based on the largest Italian study on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of general population, in this paper we aim to: (1) describe the levels of loneliness in a national sample of Italian young adults aged 18–34 years, during the first wave of lockdown in 2020; (2) evaluate the clinical and socio-demographic differences in young adults reporting low vs. high levels of loneliness; (3) assess the role of clinical symptomatology, coping strategies, levels of resilience, and duration of lockdown as possible predictors of loneliness. The final sample consists of 8,584 people, mainly female (72.6%), single, with a mean age of 26.4 (±4.4) years. The mean score at the UCLA was 47.5 (±13.6), with 27% (N = 2,311) of respondents exceeding the cut-off for high levels of loneliness. High levels of loneliness were predicted by the presence of avoidant coping strategies, such as self-distraction (Beta coefficient, B = 0.369, 95% Confidence Interval, CI = 0.328–0.411), venting (B = 0.245, 95% CI = 0.197–0.293), denial (B = 0.110, 95% CI = 0.061–0.159), and emotional disengagement (B = 0.133, 95% CI = 0.080–0.185). Weeks of exposure to the pandemic were significantly associated with worsening of loneliness (p < 0.000). There is currently considerable interest in trying to reduce loneliness, both within the context of COVID-19 and more generally. Our results highlight that young people are at a higher risk of developing loneliness and suggest that more interventions and practical guidelines are needed.

A STUDY ON “ IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID CRISIS”

The pandemic spread by the novel corona virus identied in Wuhan China in the year 2019 has massive hit on every aspect of individual life. Like many other countries India had imposed nationwide complete lockdown on March 2020. Since India was facing Lockdown for the rst time in its history and the stringent measures taken to implement lockdown had effects on all aspect of society including physical as well as mental health of general population. The present study was conducted using online method to know the impact on mental health during COVID 19 pandemic. The prevalence of the anxiety disorder as per GAD 7 was 33.4% among the study participants and 19-30 yrs of age group of participants and females are more affected. People have tried different method to cope with the stress during this period.

Mental health outcomes in communities exposed to Armed Conflict Experiences

BackgroundPopulations exposed to Armed Conflict Experiences (ACE) show different levels of impact in their mental health (i.e. clinical and positive components); however, there is limited evidence related to mental health of general population (civilians not classified as victims) exposed to ACE. Government guided mental health assessments exclude this population. The use of a newly validated Extreme Experiences Scale (EX2) seems appropriate to classify victims, ex-combatants, and civilians for their mental health assessment.MethodsHere, we propose a novel approach to identify relationships between individuals classified with different levels of ACE exposure—independent of their legal role in the armed conflict, and mental health outcomes. According to the cut-off points derived from the scores of EX2, we classified the sample in low and high exposure to ACE.ResultsThe high-level ACE group (scores > 2.5) included 119 subjects, and the low-level ACE was constituted by 66 subjects. Our results evidence that people with high exposure to ACE experiment higher odds to present anxiety disorders, risk of suicide, or post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as increased cognitive empathy (i.e., fantasy dimension).ConclusionThese findings allowed us to identify the influence of ACE on mental health outcomes beyond the conventional frame (victim or ex-combatant), and to discuss effective interventions and implementation of mental health strategies in these communities. We expect to help the health system to focus on key vulnerable subjects by including civilians not recognized as victims, which are neglected from most of the public health screening, assessment, and interventions.

Iranian psychosocial status during and after COVID-19 outbreak mandatory quarantine: A cross-sectional study.

Quarantine, one of the most effective protection measures, plays an essential role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, along with quarantine, can have devastating consequences for individuals' mental and social health. This study examined the psychosocial status of individuals during and after quarantine in the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 714 individuals in the general population during (365) and 3 months after quarantine (349) in southeastern Iran. Data were collected using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) based on an online questionnaire. Data were collected from April 13 to April 20, 2020 (in quarantine) and 3 months later from August 20 to September 20, 2020. Psychological disorders in the quarantined population were significantly higher than that after quarantine. The risk of a mental disorder in the quarantined population was 1.54 times higher than that after quarantine. The results showed that quarantine is associated with a significant level of psychosocial disorders; therefore, interventions should be considered to reduce the effects of quarantine on the mental health of general population as a public health priority at the community level.

Comparison of Mental Health of General Population at the Peak of COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran

Background: The long-term outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), accompanied by high mortality rates, hysteria, and economic pressures, has profound, irreversible psychological effects worldwide. Objectives: This study compared mental health and post-traumatic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak in the peak period of the pandemic in five regions of Iran. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was carried out at the peak of the pandemic using free Google Forms® software. A snowball sampling method focused on the general public in the north east-west, central part, and south east-west of Iran was utilized from March 24 to 29th of 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were applied as data collection tools. Results: The current study included 749 respondents from all provinces in Iran. Most of the participants were from the southeast and the central part of Iran and stayed at home for about 20 to 24 hours during COVID-19 outbreak. The results of MANOVA indicated that there were no significant differences between the means of mental disorders and the impacts of COVID-19 outbreak in these five regions (F = 1.188, Wilks’ Lambda = 0.97, P ≥ 0.05). Nevertheless, one-sample test showed that the IES-R mean score was above the cut-off point, indicating the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in all regions of Iran (t = 8.025, P ≤ 0.05, 95% CI: 3.22 to 5.31). Conclusions: As a result of this study that shows the presence of PTSD symptoms in all regions, mental health care is a necessity and should be provided to the general public so that psychologists and mental health teams have to provide psychological services in-person or online method.

Levels of Anxiety and Stress during Pandemic of COVID-19 among the General Population of Karachi, Pakistan

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected not only the physical health, but mental health of general population.&#x0D; Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the anxiety and levels of stress during COVID-among the population of Karachi.&#x0D; Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted for the period of 8 months May 2020-December 2020, the required variables were collected on a questionnaire. Data was analyzed and descriptive statistics was applied using SPSS version 21 with 95% CI.&#x0D; Results: Out of 450 participants, 45.8% males, 54.2% females. The majority (39.1%) of patients were in group of 51-70 years of age. The levels of anxiety were categories in mild (21.5%), moderate (38.2%) severe (15.2%) and no anxiety (25.1%). The contributing factors in stress and anxiety were the fear (68.3%), panic situation by media (58.5%) and stress due to pandemic (64.2%).&#x0D; Conclusion: The pandemic of COVID-19 is a stressful situation which needs a proper management and counselling of community regarding the precautionary measures and guidance to control the psychological parameters.

The impact of lockdown measures on the mental health of the general population: Results from a national multicentric study

The COVID-19 pandemic and the related containment measures, such as lockdown, are affecting mental health of the general population worldwide. This is an unprecedented event, which is influencing the health care, political, economic, and social welfare systems. Among Western countries, Italy has been one of the first severely hit by the pandemic in terms of number of cases and mortality rates. On March 8, 2020, the Italian Prime Minister issued restrictive measures in order to limit the spread of the disease. During this period known as “Phase one” of the national health emergency, all not necessary activities have been closed, more than 29,000 people have died and almost 100,000 people have been home-isolated, with strict lockdown measures. The COvid Mental hEalth Trial (COMET) network, including ten university Italian sites and the National Institute of Health, has promoted a national online survey in order to evaluate the impact of lockdown measures on the mental health of the Italian general population. The COMET survey reports data from a large sample of more than 20.000 people from Italian general population, showing that lockdown has had a detrimental impact on mental health, in terms of worsening of anxiety, depressive and stress symptoms. Findings from this study can be useful to inform national and international associations, policy makers and stakeholders on the importance to provide adequate support to the mental health of the general population.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

The impact of new psychosocial stressors on the mental health of young people: Results from a national multicentric study in italy

Abstract BodyThe COVID-19 pandemic with the related containment measures is having a negative impact on the mental health of the general population worldwide. This event has been described as a new form of trauma, which is influencing not only physical and mental health, but also the society as a whole. Among Western countries, Italy has been one of the first severely hit by the pandemic in terms of number of cases and mortality rates. In March, 2020, strictly restrictive measures has been issued in order to contain the spread of the disease. This period has been known as “Phase one” of the national health emergency, where all not necessary activities were closed, almost 30,000 people died and almost 100,000 people were home-isolated. In this context, the COvid Mental hEalth Trial (COMET) network, including ten university Italian sites and the National Institute of Health, has been established in order to promote a national online survey for assessing the impact of lockdown measures on the mental health of the Italian general population. In the COMET survey, it has been included a specific focus on young people, which are expected to be the most vulnerable to the consequences of the pandemic and of the strict containment measures. Findings from this study can be useful to inform national and international associations on the importance to provide adequate support to the mental health of the young people.DisclosureNo significant relationships.