Prevalence Of Mental Health Symptoms Research Articles

Prevalence of mental health symptoms and potential risk factors among Austrian veterinary medicine students

Although the poor mental health of veterinarians has been reported in different countries, no data exist on mental health in Austrian veterinary students. This study aimed to provide first data on a broad range of mental health indicators in Austrian veterinary students, compare these data with the Austrian general population, and explore factors associated with poor mental health. A total of 29.1% (n = 430; 85.8% female; mean age: 23.14 ± 3.69 years) of the total Austrian veterinary student population (N = 1477 students; 82.1% females) took part in an online survey conducted from November 2022 to January 2023. Indicators of mental health were symptoms of depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), insomnia (ISI-7), stress (PSS-4), alcohol abuse (CAGE) and disordered eating (SCOFF). Compared to the general Austrian population a higher proportion of veterinary students exceeded the cut-offs for clinically relevant mental health symptoms (P < 0.05). A total of 55.3% of participating veterinary students exceeded the cut-off for moderate depressive symptoms, 52.6% for moderate anxiety symptoms, 20.9% for clinically relevant insomnia symptoms, 79.3% for high-stress symptoms, 22.8% for symptoms of alcohol abuse and 38.6% for symptoms of disordered eating. Multivariable logistic regression including several sociodemographic, health behavior, and study-related variables as predictors revealed that mental health symptoms in veterinary students were associated with female gender, older age, low physical activity, high smartphone usage, and desired specification in small animal or wildlife medicine. In conclusion, Austrian veterinary students experience a high mental health burden. The teaching of coping skills and strategies to improve mental hygiene should be implemented in the curricula of veterinary education to improve mental health in the veterinary profession.

Mental and Emotional Health of Caregivers of Youth with Sickle Cell Disease: A Systematic Review

Abstract: People of African descent and those identifying as Black and/or Latino experience a disproportionate burden of sickle cell disease (SCD), a chronic, serious blood condition. Caregivers of children with chronic medical conditions report worse mental health than others. Disease-associated stressors can affect caregivers of children with SCD. We conducted a systematic review to summarize the prevalence of mental health symptoms in caregivers of children with SCD and to see if symptoms were associated with the child's SCD. This review is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase, identifying 1,322 records of which 40 met criteria for inclusion in this review. Findings suggest caregivers experience mental health problems, and poorer mental health was associated with worse child SCD-related outcomes and treatment adherence. Efforts should be made to routinely screen SCD caregiver mental health and to refer accordingly.

Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Their Co-Occurrence among Orphaned Children in Sekhukhune District, Limpopo Province.

Although both short- and long-term psychological challenges, specifically depression and anxiety, have been reported among orphans, there is a dearth of studies that quantify these disorders in rural settings. The aim of the study was to screen for symptoms of depression, anxiety and their co-occurrence among orphaned school-going children in rural Limpopo province, South Africa. Data were collected among primary school children in 10 schools in two villages in Limpopo province. The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) was used to screen for symptoms of depression, anxiety and their co-occurrence among 308 orphaned learners in the selected schools. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data. STATA 13 was used to analyse the data. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the symptoms and severity of depression, anxiety and their co-occurrence. The sample of 308 consisted of the majority (60.71%) residing in Maandagshoek and being female (54.22%). Their ages ranged from 8 to 12 years, with a mean of 10.51 years. The prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and co-occurrence of anxiety and depression were 23.05%, 34.09% and 32.14%, respectively. The prevalence of mental health symptoms was high among the sample. There is a need to expand the care of orphans to include mental health and not just limit their care to provide food to vulnerable children.

Mental health among first-generation college students: Findings from the national Healthy Minds Study, 2018-2021.

A mounting body of evidence reveals that college mental health outcomes are worsening over time. That said, little is known about the mental health needs of the nearly eight million first-generation students in U.S. postsecondary education. The present study uses population-level data from the national Healthy Minds Study to compare prevalence of mental health symptoms and use of services for first-generation and continuing-generation students from 2018-2021. The sample includes 192,202 students at 277 campuses, with 17.3% being first-generation. Findings reveal a high prevalence of mental health symptoms among both first-generation and continuing-generation students. Controlling for symptoms, FG students had significantly lower rates of mental health service use. Just 32.8% of first-generation students with symptoms received therapy in the past year, relative to 42.8% among continuing-generation students, and this disparity widened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings have important implications for the design and implementation of higher education policies, mental health delivery systems, college persistence and retention initiatives, and public health efforts in school settings.

Prevalence and associated factors with mental health symptoms among semi-professional cricket players after the resumption of sporting activities following an extensive lockdown.

Mental health of cricket players has been a topic of debate for a considerable time across the globe. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of mental health symptoms among semi-professional male cricket players experienced during COVID-19, as well as the relationship between age and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) sub-scale. Mental health symptoms were assessed among cricket players (n = 90) using the following instruments, respectively: Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale - 21 (DASS - 21); Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Descriptive (means ± standard deviations) and inferential (Spearman's correlations) statistics were calculated using SPSS (IBM Version 27.0) at a significance level of p < 0.05. The study reported that 5.6% (n = 5) of cricketers believed life was futile, and 10% (n = 9) thought they were useless most of the time. However, on the anxiety sub-scale, 27% (n = 24) of cricketers indicated low confidence. In addition, 23% (n = 21) of cricketers reported being stressed. Spearman's correlations revealed a positive and significant association between the DASS-21 sub-scales and that cricketers' DASS-21 sub-scale symptoms are unrelated to age. The study found that there were moderate levels of anxiety, a reduced sense of achievement and a neutral feeling towards satisfaction with life. Reducing mental health symptoms would extend the playing careers of cricket players. De-stigmatising mental health may result in more robust and accurate self-reports of mental health illness among elite athletes, which can enable sustainable change.

Battered Body, Battered Self: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Embodiment-Related Impairments of Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

ABSTRACT Intimate-partner violence (IPV) is a major threat to women’s lives, with an impact on their physical and mental health, often causing trauma symptoms. The IPV consequences for embodiment-related features that are detrimental to the quality of life and identity structure of victims are understudied. With this study, we aim to examine embodiment-related functions and physical and mental health of women with and without a history of IPV. A total of 47 female victims of IPV (mean age 41.3 ± 11.5 years) living in shelters and 44 non-victims (mean age 43.1 ± 12.5 years) living in the community participated in this cross-sectional study. We used a self-administered survey to assess the prevalence of mental health symptoms, somatic symptoms, and behaviors of self-injury and suicidal ideation. The levels of interoception, movement imagery, body ownership, and bodily dissociation were assessed through tasks and questionnaires, controlling for mental health covariates. Women victims of IPV showed a greater prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (p = .014), depression (p < .001), somatic symptoms (p = .006), self-injury behaviors (p < .001), and suicidal ideation (p < .001). Also, IPV victims showed higher levels of body disownership (p = .025) and bodily dissociation (p < .001) than non-victims, controlling for the presence of PTSD and depression. Our study shows strong evidence of the link between IPV and impairments in embodiment, namely the sense of body ownership and the disconnection from the body. Intimate-partner violence victims need embodiment-informed care to be parallel to the attention given to mental health and somatic symptoms.

Anxiety, depression, and concentration in cancer survivors: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey results

PurposeWe report on prevalence of anxiety, depression, and concentration difficulties and their associations in survivors of cancer in a nationally representative sample up to 25 years after diagnosis.MethodsUsing the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2015 to 2018, participants between the ages of 18 and 79 self-reported on cancer history, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and difficulties with concentration.ResultsOf 10,337 participants, 691 (6.7%) reported a previous diagnosis of cancer; the median time since diagnosis was 8 years. Prevalence was similar between those with and without cancer for anxiety (45.8% versus 46.9%) and depression (19.7% versus 20.0%). Concentration difficulties were more common (11.3% versus 9.0%) for those with a history of cancer compared to those without (adjusted OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.00–1.90). Prevalence of mental health symptoms was not related to time since diagnosis. Anxiety and depression were highly correlated (r = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.74–0.86) and moderately correlated with difficulty with concentration (r = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.40–0.64 and r = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.53–0.74 respectively).ConclusionsDifficulty with concentration was more commonly reported by participants with than without a cancer history. Report of anxiety and depression was no different between participants with and without a history of cancer. Anxiety, depression, and difficulties with concentration were strongly related. Further research is needed to explore if there is a causal association, and if so, the direction of these correlations, so that interventions may be appropriately targeted.

Mental health symptoms among homeless shelter residents during COVID-19 lockdown in Tshwane, South Africa.

In order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa during the national state of emergency, the Gauteng Department of Social Development established temporary shelters and activated existing facilities to provide basic needs to street-homeless people in Tshwane, which facilitated primary health care service-delivery to this community. This study aimed to determine and analyse the prevalence of mental health symptoms and demographic characteristics among street-homeless people living in Tshwane's shelters during lockdown. Homeless shelters set up in Tshwane during level 5 of the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa. A cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted using a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)-based questionnaire that looked at 13 mental health symptom domains. Presence of moderate-to-severe symptoms were reported among the 295 participants as follows: substance use 202 (68%), anxiety 156 (53%), personality functioning 132 (44%), depression 85 (29%), sleep problems 77 (26%), somatic symptoms 69 (23%), anger 62 (21%), repetitive thoughts and behaviours 60 (20%), dissociation 55 (19%), mania 54 (18%), suicidal ideation 36 (12%), memory 33 (11%) and psychosis 23 (8%). A high burden of mental health symptoms was identified. Community-oriented and person-centred health services with clear care-coordination pathways are required to understand and overcome the barriers street-homeless people face in accessing health and social services.Contribution: This study determined the prevalence of mental health symptoms within the street-based population in Tshwane, which has not previously been studied.

Beyond burnout: a four-year survey of osteopathic medical student mental health and the implications for the development of wellness and mental health programs.

The mental health crisis in medicine cannot be explained by burnout alone. Physicians are not immune to this crisis and are known to have higher rates of suicide and depression than the general population. A high prevalence of mental health symptoms has been observed in early medical training. This study was completed to characterize medical students' mental well-being and provide guidance for timely intervention. An annual prospective, voluntary, anonymous, cross-sectional survey of medical students was completed over a 4-year period in medical school from 2016 to 2019. Thesurvey was created based on standardized psychiatric screening tools assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety, burnout, and sleep problems. In each of those years, 1,257 (2016), 1,254 (2017), 1,221 (2018), and 1,220 (2019) enrolled students, respectively, were invited to participate. Data on students' mental health were analyzed in relation to their year of school separately for each survey year utilizing SAS9.4. A total of 973 students in 2016, 889 students in 2017, 547 students in 2018, and 606 students in 2019 participated in the study. For depression and burnout subscales, an increase in symptom scores were observed every survey year (2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019) by the second or third year of medical school with a clinically significant effect size. Persistently high levels of anxiety were observed throughout medical school, with significant increases after the first year noted in the 2016 and 2017 surveys, but not in the 2018 or 2019 surveys. Similarly, significant changes in sleep disturbance were found in the 2016 and 2017 surveys, but not in 2018 or 2019. Symptoms of burnout, depression, and anxiety were observed throughout all four years of medical school, with increases starting after the first year. Early intervention is needed to support students' mental health and increase access to care and resources.

The Prevalence of Symptomatology and Risk Factors in Mental Health in Mexico: The 2016-17 ENCODAT Cohort.

There is little recent information about the prevalence of symptomatology of mental health disorders in representative population samples in Mexico. To determine the prevalence of mental health symptoms in Mexico and its comorbidity with tobacco, alcohol, and drug use disorder (SUD), we used the 2016-17 National Survey of Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use (Encuesta Nacional de Consumo de Drogas, Alcohol y Tabaco, ENCODAT 2016-2017). The data were collected from households using a cross-sectional, stratified, multistage design, with a confidence level of 90% and a response rate of 73.6%. The final sample included 56,877 completed interviews of individuals aged 12-65, with a subsample of 13,130 who answered the section on mental health. Symptoms of mania and hypomania (7.9%), depression (6.4%), and post-traumatic stress (5.7%) were the three main problems reported. Of this subsample, 56.7% reported using a legal or illegal drug without SUD, 5.4% reported SUD at one time on alcohol, 0.8% on tobacco, and 1.3% on medical or illegal drugs, 15.9% reported symptoms related to mental health, and 2.9% comorbidity. The prevalence found is consistent with those reported in previous studies, except for an increase in post-traumatic stress, which is consistent with the country's increase in trauma.

Resultados de una evaluación y seguimiento online de problemas de salud mental en universitarios chilenos

The exponential increase in higher education students and the new university profile that incorporates more vulnerable social groups are associated with an increase in mental health problems in this population. Likewise, the complex stage of the life cycle in which these young people find themselves and the stress of the transition between adolescence and adulthood are other risk factors for the development of mental health problems. The emergence of mental health problems in this group could then be due to a confluence of factors, also facilitating risk behaviors. National and international researches have reported the worrying rates of mental health disorders in university students, mainly in relation to the presence of depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol or drug use, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation. These disorders tend to be aggravated, because the university population is prone not to seek help. The stigma of presenting mental health problems, skepticism about treatments, not wanting to worry the closest family and the few economic resources or not having a health plan, lead to not seeking help or do this late. Studies have found that more than half of students who need mental health and support services are not receiving them. On the other hand, a high percentage seeks help late, which implies that the disorders are accentuated or become chronic, which makes subsequent treatment and improvement difficult, even becoming a public health problem due to the high economic and professional demand that these treatments require. Given these antecedents and the exponential increase in these high rates of mental health, it was proposed to carry out a complete process of Mental Health Problems Screening, feedback, and follow-up in a large sample of university students, in order to determine both the prevalence of mental health symptoms, such as the impact of the use of information technologies on feedback and guidance in seeking help. To do this, a battery of questionnaires aimed at investigating hopelessness and suicide risk, depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, eating disorders and perceived social support were applied through the university online platform to 1 707 students. Once the instruments were answered, the students received feedback about their levels of symptoms and information about networks and establishments to seek help and receive care in the required cases. In the middle of the following year, a follow-up survey was conducted with 577 of the students who had previously answered all the questionnaires. The results of the battery of questionnaires applied indicate high rates of mental health symptoms, with statistically significant differences according to sex, with women having the highest prevalence. These results are consistent with various studies that show high percentages of mental health problems in university students and various associations. In turn, the subsequent follow-up showed that the feedback provided triggered the search for help, with positive correlations between feeling better and having sought mental health treatment or having asked friends or family for help. In addition, the most of the young people surveyed consider that the use of computer platforms are useful to obtain help on mental health issues and that they are useful to better understand what is happening to them and learn about mental health problems. Both the increase in the university population and the high prevalence of morbidity have led to the need to implement various resources that make mental health more accessible to young people. The use of information technologies in mental health research and prevention would have a positive outreach, being a useful, accessible and close tool for young people. https://doi.org/10.16888/interd.2023.40.2.16

A mixed-methods approach to understand university students' perceived impact of returning to class during COVID-19 on their mental and general health.

This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of mental and general health symptoms among university students attending in-person and online classes during COVID-19. We also explored their experiences returning to in-person classes and their views on the university's COVID-19-related policies. In this sequential explanatory mixed-methods study (2020-2021), U.S. university student respondents (N = 1030; 603 women [58.5%], 907 [88.1%] aged 18-24 years) completed a quantitative, cross-sectional survey assessing their mental and general health symptoms experienced while taking classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey link was distributed through social media and email invitations. Three separate follow-up focus groups (n = 27), consisting of an average of nine focus group respondents who had completed the quantitative survey per group, were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Focus group respondents provided qualitative responses on their experiences returning to class during COVID-19 and adhering to COVID-19-related policies. The prevalence of mental health symptoms among survey respondents were 57.6% (n = 593) for depression, 41.5% (n = 427) for anxiety, and 40.8% (n = 420) for stress. Over 90% of respondents reported perceptions of good general health. Female respondents and respondents identified as non-binary gender had an increased risk for mental health symptoms compared to male respondents. Respondents with preexisting medical conditions had an increased risk for worse general health. Themes identified through qualitative analysis included (1) attending class during COVID-19 is associated with unhealthy behaviors, and poor health, (2) perceived challenges of online learning and increased feelings of isolation, (3) demand for COVID-19 policy reform and greater transparency of COVID-19 statistics; (4) difficulties in adhering to COVID-19 policies; and (5) concerns about acquiring and transmitting COVID-19. Our findings indicate that university students attending classes during the pandemic are experiencing negative mental health impacts. Although students were aware of COVID-19-related policies, many found it challenging to comply. Broad acceptance of COVID-19 policies will require greater transparency and information sharing.

Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress, and Insomnia Symptoms Among Frontline Healthcare Workers in a COVID-19 Hospital in Northeast Mexico.

Frontline healthcare workers (FHCWs) exposed to COVID-19 patients are at an increased risk of developing psychological burden. This study aims to determine the prevalence of mental health symptoms and associated factors among Mexican FHCWs attending COVID-19 patients. FHCWs, including attending physicians, residents/fellows, and nurses providing care to COVID-19 patients at a private hospital in Monterrey, Mexico, were invited to answer an online survey between August 28, and November 30, 2020. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia were evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7, Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify variables associated with each outcome. 131 FHCWs, 43.5% attending physicians, 19.8% residents/fellows, and 36.6% nurses were included. The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia was 36%, 21%, 23%, and 24% respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that residents/fellows and nurses reported more depression and insomnia than attending physicians. Although not significant, residents/fellows were more likely to experience all symptoms than nurses. Mexican FHCWs, especially nurses and residents/fellows, experienced a significant psychological burden while attending to COVID-19 patients. Tailored interventions providing support to FHCWs during future outbreaks are required.

COVID-19 pandemic: Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among Brazilian psychologists.

Symptoms related to mental health disorders became the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, and psychologists had to adapt to the demands, while they themselves were exposed to the pandemic and its stressors. To identify demographic and professional characteristics of Brazilian psychologists in different phases of pandemic and their reported care practices, concerns, and symptoms. This was an observational study conducted online in four independent phases with no pairing among the samples (May/June 2020, n = 263; November/December 2020, n = 131; May/June 2021, n = 378; November/December 2021, n = 222). Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale was used. The validity and reliability of the data obtained with the DASS-21 were attested to by confirmatory factor analysis. Basic lexographic and similarity analysis were conducted to obtain textual information. Prevalence of variables was estimated and compared between phases using the z-test (α = 5%). Similarity analysis was performed to identify the psychologists' concerns. Most of participants were women and were self-employed or employed. There was rapid adjustment to remote work and more than 70% reported changes in their mental health since the onset of pandemic. One in four participants had a previous mental health disorder, and there was a high prevalence of symptoms such as anxiety, fear, and angst. The prevalence of professionals who reported not caring about their own mental health was significant. In 2020, one cluster (health) of concern was identified, while in 2021 there were three clusters (health, family, and COVID-19). The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms was high and did not change during the pandemic. Psychologists adapted to the demands of the population in the face of the pandemic. However, there was a high prevalence of mental health symptoms and a disregard for self-care among these professionals.

Mental health impact of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers in 12 Arab countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on public health, including healthcare workers and healthcare systems, worldwide. To investigate COVID-19-related psychological impact on healthcare workers in 12 Arab countries. This was a cross-sectional, hospital-based online survey conducted between 4 May and 8 June 2020. We evaluated stress, depression, anxiety, and insomnia using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and Insomnia Severity Index. A total of 2879 respondents from 12 Arab countries completed the survey. Anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia were reported by 48.9%, 50.6%, 41.4% and 72.1% of respondents, respectively. Lower-middle- and lower-income countries had a significantly higher prevalence of all the psychological outcomes than high-income countries. The prevalence of mental health symptoms was higher among healthcare workers aged 30-39 years, those who worked > 44 hours per week, and those in contact with COVID-19 cases, as well as healthcare workers who were not satisfied with the preventive measures. The prevalence of mental health symptoms was lower among male healthcare workers. COVID-19 had a considerable impact on the mental and psychological health of healthcare workers in Arab countries. This was aggravated by the geopolitical location of some Arab countries and social norms usually observed during the month of Ramadan. Being a physician or a young healthcare worker, and long working hours were risk factors for greater psychological impact of the outbreak.

Factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among men in a rural area in Vietnam during COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected health and well-being worldwide, and its psychological effects are receiving substantial attention in the scientific literature. Research to date shows that the pandemic has increased prevalences of depression, anxiety, and stress. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of mental health symptoms and identify the associated factors among men in a rural area of Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic. During July 15-31, 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1,085 men from 18 years old in 11 rural districts in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam, and assessed their mental health using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21). Outcomes assessed were have a symptom of depression, anxiety, and stress; risk factors measured included age, religion, marital status, education, occupation, and financial status. Multiple linear regression was performed to determine the statistical significance of associations between risk factors and mental health symptoms. Findings showed that the prevalences of having a symptom of depression, anxiety and stress among participants were 6.39, 9.72, and 5.65%, respectively. Regression model showed being younger (95% CI: -0.030; -0.004, p = 0.001), men had high school degree (95% CI: -0.671; -0.074, p = 0.014), men living in nearly poor houshoulds (95% CI: 0.067, 1.905, p < 0.05) and poor housholds (95% CI: 0.608; 2.721, p < 0.05) had significantly lower depression scores than others. Prevalences of having symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were much higher than in similar previous research in rural Vietnam, suggesting that mental health problems among men in this setting became more common during the COVID-19 pandemic. Age, religion, level of education and family income status were statistically significant predictors of mental health problems. These findings provide useful insights into the impact of pandemics on mental health.

Implementation of the International Olympic Committee Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool 1: Screening for Mental Health Symptoms in a Canadian Multisport University Program.

To apply the International Olympic Committee Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool 1 (SMHAT-1) to determine the prevalence of mental health symptoms in a cohort of university student athletes over an academic year. A secondary objective was to explore the internal consistency of the screening tools from the SMHAT-1. Cross-sectional design with 3 repeated measurements over an academic year. A large university multisport program. Five hundred forty-two university-level student athletes from 17 sports. N/A. On 3 occasions, the participants completed the SMHAT-1, which consists of the Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire. If an athlete's score was above the threshold (≥17), the athlete completed step 2, consisting of (1) Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; (2) Patient Health Questionnaire-9; (3) Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire; (4) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption; (5) Cutting Down, Annoyance by Criticism, Guilty Feeling, and Eye-openers Adapted to Include Drugs; and (6) Brief Eating Disorder in Athletes Questionnaire. Internal consistency of the SMHAT-1 was also measured. Participants reported mental health symptoms with prevalence of 24% to 40% for distress, 15% to 30% for anxiety, 19% to 26% for depression, 23% to 39% for sleep disturbance, 49% to 55% for alcohol misuse, 5% to 10% for substance use, and 72% to 83% for disordered eating. Female athletes were more likely to suffer psychological strain, depression, and sleep disturbance; male athletes were more likely to report substance use. The SMHAT-1 was feasible to implement with good internal consistency. University-level athletes suffer from a variety of mental health symptoms underscoring the necessity for team physicians to have the clinical competence to recognize and treat mental health symptoms.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression symptoms in healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia

BackgroundMental health outcomes in healthcare workers (HCWs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been poorly explored during COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim was to carry out a cross-sectional study of the prevalence of mental health symptoms in HCWs in Colombia. MethodsA cross-sectional web-survey study was performed during the COVID-19 pandemic mid-2021 including HCWs in two hospitals in Colombia. The PCL-5, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scales were used to assess the prevalence of symptoms and severity of PTSD, anxiety, and depression in Colombia. ResultsFrom 257 surveyed respondents, 44.36% were nurses, 36.58% physicians and 19.07% other health professionals. The prevalence of PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were 18.68%, 43.19%, and 26.85%, amongst HCWs. The regression model evidence a strong risk of PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in HCWs in Colombia during the second wave of COVID-19 in the middle of 2021. ConclusionsThe prevalence for several mental health symptoms in HCWs in Colombia were higher compared with the general population. HCWs are at-risk population to develop chronic symptoms and mental disorders during and after outbreaks. These results will be helpful to tailor strategies to support the physical and mental health of the HCWs in LMICs.

The price of internship through COVID-19: 1st year physicians report substantial mental health symptoms during the pandemic

ObjectivesTo examine the prevalence of mental health symptoms among medical interns working for the first time as physicians in a large tertiary hospital in Israel during the 1st COVID year. MethodsAll interns who worked for at least 2 months during the 1st COVID year (March 2020–February 2021) at the Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (TASMC), a large tertiary general hospital in Israel were approached simultaneously during April–May 2021, and were requested to fill in an online survey. In each questionnaire, the interns were asked to refer to the worst time they endured the symptoms described. Included were all medical. Depression and anxiety symptoms, post-traumatic stress symptoms and Burnout measures were evaluated using validated questionnaires. Depressive/anxiety symptoms were defined as primary end measures. We assessed the association between depression and anxiety symptoms, and demographic, post-traumatic and burnout measures. Results145 out of 188 interns completed the study (77% overall response rate). The mean age was 30.36 ± 2.97. Almost half the interns (47%) reported depression/anxiety symptoms. The high depression/anxiety group was characterized by a lower mean age (29.87 ± 2.93 vs. 30.92 ± 2.91, p = 0.041), higher post-traumatic symptoms (15.62 ± 13.32 vs. 3.63 ± 5.59, p < 0.0001) and higher scores in 2/3 burnout subscales - emotional exhaustion (5.09 ± 1.29 vs. 3.61 ± 1.38, p = 0.000001) and depersonalization (3.83 ± 1.71 vs. 2.94 ± 1.46, p = 0.002). 11.4% of interns in the full sample reported they used cannabis or alcohol as “self-medication”. Conclusionsmedical interns serving for their first year as physicians during the COVID pandemic, developed mental symptoms in alarming numbers. The findings point to a crucial need to implement active interventions to protect these doctors, so that they can safely embark on their medical careers, specifically in times of global health crises.

Eighteen months into the COVID-19 pandemic: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in Southeast Asia and the associated demographic factors.

Mental health has become a growing concern in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to determine the prevalence of mental health symptoms 18 months after the pandemic's declaration. Our cross-sectional study conducted among 18- to 65-year-old adults (N = 33,454) in October 2021 using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) found a high prevalence of severe to extremely severe anxiety (49%), depression (47%) and stress (36%) symptoms in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore. Multiple logistic regression showed that female and non-binary genders were associated with increased odds of severe/extremely severe symptoms of anxiety (female: aOR 1.44 [95% CI 1.37–1.52]; non-binary aOR 1.46 [1.16–1.84]), depression (female: aOR 1.39 [1.32–1.47]; non-binary aOR 1.42 [1.13–1.79]), and stress (female: aOR 1.48 [CI 1.40–1.57]; non-binary aOR 1.42 [1.12–1.78]). In all three symptom domains, the odds of severe/extremely severe symptoms decreased across age groups. Middle- and high-income respondents had lower odds of reporting severe/extremely severe anxiety (middle-income: aOR 0.79 [0.75–0.84]; high-income aOR 0.77 [0.69–0.86]) and depression (middle-income: aOR 0.85 [0.80–0.90]; high-income aOR 0.84 [0.76–0.94]) symptoms compared to low-income respondents, while only middle-income respondents had lower odds of experiencing severe/extremely severe stress symptoms (aOR 0.89 [0.84–0.95]). Compared to residents of Malaysia, residents of Indonesia were more likely to experience severe/extremely severe anxiety symptoms (aOR 1.08 [1.03–1.15]) but less likely to experience depression (aOR 0.69 [0.65–0.73]) or stress symptoms (aOR 0.92 [0.87–0.97]). Respondents living in Singapore had increased odds of reporting severe/extremely severe depression symptoms (aOR 1.33 [1.16–1.52]), while respondents residing in Thailand were more likely to experience severe/extremely severe stress symptoms (aOR 1.46 [1.37–1.55]). This study provides insights into the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the point prevalence of psychological distress in Southeast Asia one and a half years after the beginning of the pandemic.