Related Stressors Research Articles

Pandemic stressors and mental health indicators in eight countries.

The Covid-19 pandemic has exacted a significant physical, financial, social, and emotional toll on populations throughout the world. This study aimed to document the association between pandemic stressors and mental health during the pandemic across countries that differ in cultural, geographic, economic, and demographic factors. We administered an online survey randomly in Brazil, China, Germany, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and the United States from September 2020 to November 2020. This survey included questions on Covid-19-related stressors as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and the Primary Care PTSD Checklist to screen for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, respectively. We performed bivariable and multivariable regression analyses to assess the prevalence and odds ratios of overall depression symptoms and probable PTSD and in relation to stressors across countries. Among 8754 respondents, 28.9% (95% CI 27.5-30.0%) experienced depression symptoms, and 5.1% (95% CI 4.5-6.0%) experienced probable PTSD. The highest prevalence of depression symptoms was in Egypt (41.3%, 95% CI 37.6-45.0%) and lowest in the United States (24.9%, 95% CI 22.3-27.7%). The highest prevalence of probable PTSD was in Brazil (7.3%, 95% CI 5.6-9.4%) and the lowest in China (1.2%, 95% CI 0.7-2.0%). Overall, experiencing six or more Covid-19-related stressors was associated with both depression symptoms (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.46-2.48) and probable PTSD (OR 13.8, 95% CI 9.66-19.6). The association between pandemic related stressors and the burden of adverse mental health indicators early in the Covid-19 pandemic transcended geographic, economic, cultural, and demographic differences between countries. The short-term and long-term impacts of the pandemic on mental health should be incorporated in efforts to tackle the consequences of Covid-19.

Youth relationships during the pandemic Covid-19 matter. A mediating role of social resources on e-learning burnout, well-being, and overeating behaviors

Aim: Youth who are engaging themselves in overeating behaviours are at risk of numerous adverse outcomes. Overeating may be also considered as an early warning sign of additional psychological issues, e.g. poor well-being, depression and suicide ideation. Although a vast body of literature has examined pandemic Covid-19 related stressors as potential risk factors for eating problems, no studies have explored e-learning stress and burnout as a characteristic that may contribute to overeating among adolescents during this global crisis. The main goal of this study was to test the mediation effect of social resources on the associations between e-school stress and burnout, adolescents’ psychological well-being and overeating. Method: Path analysis was conducted on the results of the E-Learning Burnout Scale, the Psychological Well-Being Scale, the Short Social Resource scale, and one-item scales for Overeating behaviours and Online School Stress. Cross-sectional data were collected via Google forms from 186 students (M=15.93 years; SD=1.70; 60% girls). Results: Social resources and e-learning burnout had a significant direct effect on overeating behaviours frequency. The significant indirect effect of psychological well-being via social resources on overeating behaviours was confirmed, however the indirect effect of e-learning burnout was insignificant. Student stress had a significant indirect effect on overeating behaviours via e-learning burnout, and via social resources. Conclusions: E-learning stress and burnout during the Covid-19 pandemic are directly related to the reduction of the individuals’ resources used to effectively cope with negative emotions and distress in everyday life, which, in turn, may heighten the risk of engaging in overeating behaviours. Keywords: overeating behaviours, online student burnout, social resources, adolescence

Predictors of negative moral appraisals and their association with symptoms of post-traumatic stress and depression in the context of COVID-19 related stressors.

Research on moral injury (MI) suggests that negative moral appraisals of stressful events can impact mental health in high-stakes occupational contexts (e.g., military). Few studies have examined these associations in the general population, limiting the generalisability of findings. Furthermore, factors that may predispose an individual to adverse outcomes in the context of moral stressors remain largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to (1) explore the applicability of the MI construct to stressors experienced by the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) explore how trait differences in sense of duty, religiosity/spirituality, anxiety sensitivity, and guilt, shame, and anger, predict negative moral appraisals of COVID-19 stressors. Participants (n=355) completed an online survey assessing exposure to and appraisals of COVID-19 stressors, mental health symptoms, and dispositional characteristics (i.e., trait emotions, anxiety sensitivity, sense of duty, religiosity/spirituality). Path analysis revealed specific indirect associations between self-based moral appraisals and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression through guilt, and between both self- and other-based moral appraisals and PTSD and depression through anger. Number of COVID-19 stressors had no influence on associations. Sense of duty, reparative guilt, and anxiety sensitivity best predicted negative moral appraisals. Findings partially support the applicability of the MI construct outside the occupational context.

Evaluating the levels of capture-related stress and physical injury in métiers that use gillnets and trammel nets

Captured fish are subjected to a variety of stressors, but exhaustion and injury stand out as the most harmful and common. While hanging nets like gillnets and trammel nets may have fewer overall environmental effects than towed gear, they are commonly associated with high rates of incidental mortality among discarded fish, posing the highest stressor exposure risk and the least opportunity for practical mitigation measures. The present study sought to determine and compare the amount of physical damage and stress (plasma cortisol and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels) caused by trammel nets and gillnets to fish in a small-scale fishery in the North Aegean Sea (E. Mediterranean). We focused on four fish species with minor commercial importance and high discarding potential to examine whether captured related stressors are not only gear-specific but also species-specific. We found that trammel net deployments are associated with higher levels of physical injury and physiological stress than gillnets which were attributed to different soak-times but also to differences in the mechanics of capture between the two gears and among the four species.

Applying relational turbulence theory to examine partner (under)accommodation during conversations about relational stressors

AbstractUtilizing the prepositions of relational turbulence theory (RTT), the present study proposes that relational uncertainty and partner interference assessed before the conversation about a relational stressor may polarize perceptions of partner (under)accommodation during the conversation, and those perceptions may further associate with global evaluations of relationships as turbulent measured post conversation. Fifty heterosexual couples (100 individuals) participated in the pre‐survey, lab visit, and post‐survey. Findings uncovered that for men, perceptions of partner (under)accommodation mediated the association between relational uncertainty and relational turbulence, and perceptions of partner accommodation mediated the association between partner interference and relational turbulence. Further, for women, perceptions of partner underaccommodation mediated the association between relational partner interference and relational turbulence. The results extend the utility of RTT in examining perceptions of partners' (under)accommodative behaviors during conversations about relational stressors.

The Role of Individual Discrimination and Structural Stigma in the Mental Health of Sexual Minority Youth

Sexual minority (SM) youth experience a greater mental health burden compared with their heterosexual peers. This study aimed to characterize mental health disparities among SM compared with non-SM youth, test main and interactive associations of SM identity and stressors targeting SM youth at the individual level (interpersonal SM discrimination) and structural level (state-level structural SM stigma) with youth mental health, and explore the contribution of interpersonal SM discrimination to the mental health burden of SM youth. Participants included 11,622 youth (ages 9-13; 47.6% assigned female at birth) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Linear mixed-effects models tested main and interactive associations of SM identity, interpersonal SM discrimination, and structural SM stigma with mental health measures (self-reported overall psychopathology, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts), adjusting for demographics and other interpersonal stressors not specific to SM (other discrimination types, peer victimization, and cyberbullying). Longitudinal mediation models tested whether interpersonal SM discrimination mediated the associations between SM identity and mental health measures. SM youth (n= 1,051) experienced more interpersonal SM discrimination and overall psychopathology compared with their non-SM peers (n= 10,571). Adjusting for demographics, there were significant associations (main effects) of interpersonal SM discrimination and structural SM stigma with overall psychopathology. When further adjusting for other non-SM-related stressors, the main effect of structural SM stigma was no longer significant. Interpersonal SM discrimination was also significantly associated with suicidal ideation and attempt, accounting for demographics, while structural SM stigma was not. Accounting for both demographics and other non-SM stressors, there was a significant interaction between SM identity and structural SM stigma in association with psychopathology (p= .02), such that, compared with their peers, SM youth showed a greater association between structural SM stigma and psychopathology. Longitudinal mediation revealed that interpersonal SM discrimination was a significant mediator explaining approximately 10% to 15% of the variance of the pathways between SM identity and all mental health outcomes. Results delineate contributions of interpersonal discrimination and structural stigma targeting SM youth to their heightened mental health burden in early adolescence. These findings underscore the need to address microlevel and macrolevel SM discrimination and structural stigma when caring for this population. We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list.

Worries about the COVID-19 pandemic and the dynamic regulation of emotions in the general population: A network analysis study

BackgroundThe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been widely reported. Yet, little remains known about the psychological mechanisms associated with changes in mental well-being during the currently ongoing pandemic. MethodsHere, we use a network analysis to unravel complex relationships between COVID-19 related stressors and emotional states during the initial phase of the COVID-19 (April 2020). Adults living in the Netherlands and Belgium (N = 1145, age 16 and older) (repeatedly) completed an online survey (approximate survey completion rate = 66.2%) about COVID-19 (over a 5-day maximum sampling period). ResultsPartial correlations and contemporaneous networks illustrated that worries about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic were primarily associated with distress and mood ratings, which were subsequently associated with other indicators of well-being. Temporal network analysis revealed that COVID-19 worries were selectively associated with the reciprocal interplay between high distress and low positive mood (https://osf.io/vtdkr/). LimitationsShort-term temporal intervals were evaluated. A small percentage of participants completed the survey repeatedly (35.63% of the total sample), yielding to a relatively small sample size for repeated measures online research. The sample was self-selected. ConclusionThese results may point to potential mechanisms by which initial worries about the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted psychological well-being.

Negative sea level anomalies with extreme low tides in the South-West Indian Ocean shape Reunion Island’s fringing coral reef flats

Among induced mass-mortality events on coral reef, extreme low tides may ultimately lead to considerable reef community deaths on intertidal reef flats due to unusually long and significant aerial exposure. Here, we report an extensive coral mortality event induced by a negative sea level anomaly (nSLA) that occurred across Reunion Island during the austral winter season between June and October 2015 preceding the 2015–2016 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. The nSLA was strong and long in duration with a rapid drop of 35 cm in the mean sea level over a one-month period. Surveys conducted over seven reef flat sites before and after the nSLA revealed that mean coral cover drastically decreased from 54.5 ± 12.7% in early 2015, to 27.4 ± 6.9% in November 2015, which is an equivalent cover loss of 50% following the 2015 nSLA event. The shallowest sites showed a greater decrease in coral cover while the deepest parts of the reef flat remained unaffected. We found a significant correlation between the bathymetry and the relative coral cover variation. Using this relationship between depth and coral cover changes, high-resolution hyperspectral imagery and Lidar bathymetric airborne data, we mapped the impacts of this event at the scale of the whole reef. Overall the modeled loss reached 13.0 ha, which represents a decrease of 45.5% of all live coral cover in this area during the 2015 nSLA event. The impact of a nSLA on emersion times is much greater than the regular variation in tide amplitude between neap and spring tides, reaching new bathymetric ranges that are usually stable in terms of water submersion. Temporal variation of coral cover on Reunion Island reef flat revealed regular decreases to be compared with mean low-water-level events among other sea and climatic related disturbances and stressors.

Associations between hair cortisol, cortisone and DHEA levels and Covid19 related stressors among family members during the first outbreak of COVID19 within the FinnBrain Cohort Study in Finland

Some studies have associated COVID-19-pandemic-related stress with elevated hair cortisol concentrations among health care workers and mother-child pairs. We investigated, whether parent-reported pandemic-related stressors predicted hair cortisol, cortisone and DHEA levels among parents and 5-to-8-year-old children in general population. Hair samples utilized to define cortisol, cortisone and DHEA concentrations were collected at homes in June 2020 covering the cumulative hormone output during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring in Finland. Parents reported pandemic-related stressors (e.g. lifestyle restrictions, economic difficulties, health events related to self and others) by responding to an online questionnaire in May-June 2020. This study consists of 150 mothers, 25 fathers and 165 children from FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study who had complete data available. According to the preliminary results, hair cortisone concentrations associated with health events related to self among fathers (β = 0.29, p =.057) when adjusted for depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) (β = 0.089, p =.007), age and education. In parents, we found no other associations between hair hormone concentrations (HHC) and pandemic-related stressors. Analyses in children will be presented in the conference. We found no strong evidence for the associations between pandemic-related stressors and HHC among parents. Finding concerning cortisone could point the possible role of cortisol metabolism in the biological response to pandemic, suggesting that not just cortisol should be studied in related studies.

Toxic Triads: Supervisor Characteristics, Subordinate Self-Esteem, and Supervisor Stressors in Relation to Perceptions of Abusive Supervision

ABSTRACT Extant research on abusive supervision recognizes that attributes of the supervisor, subordinate, and situation contribute to abuse. However, little research has examined the interplay of all three factors in predicting abusive supervision. Thus, we first take an actor-focused perspective and identify supervisor trait anger and moral justification as “hot” and “cold” personality traits that encompass a preparedness to aggress and serve as antecedents of subordinates’ perceptions of abusive supervision. Then, we integrate trait activation theory to examine both subordinates’ self-esteem and supervisors’ job stressors as trait-relevant moderators. We predict two-way and three-way interactions for both supervisor trait anger and moral justification. Using a multisource, field study, we found general support for the hypothesized effects. We discuss the implications of our findings for research and practice.

Differential associations between enacted and expected stigma with psychological distress, alcohol use, and substance use in transgender and gender diverse people

BackgroundTransgender and gender diverse (TGD) people experience high rates of stigma and marginalization that are theorized to exacerbate substance use and psychological distress. However, little research has examined the role of various minority stressors in relation to substance use in TGD populations. MethodsIn this sample of 181 TGD individuals in the U.S. who reported substance use or binge drinking over the past month (M age = 25.6; SD = 5.6), we evaluated whether enacted stigma predicted alcohol use, substance use, and psychological distress. ResultsParticipants endorsed a high rate of exposure to enacted stigma over the past 6 months (e.g., 52% had been verbally insulted). Furthermore, 27.8% of the sample was classified as having moderate or higher severity drug use, and 35.4% were classified as having hazardous drinking levels. We found that enacted stigma was significantly related to moderate-high drug use and psychological distress. There were no significant associations between stigma variables and hazardous levels of drinking. Enacted stigma had an indirect effect on psychological distress via increased expectations of stigma. ConclusionsThis study adds to the growing literature exploring minority stressors in relation to substance use and mental health. Subsequent research is needed to examine TGD-specific factors that may more fully explain how TGD people cope with enacted stigma or that may influence substance use, particularly alcohol use.

Exploring Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-Being in Recovered Jordanian Individuals With COVID-19: A Phenomenological Study.

COVID-19-related healthcare services focus primarily on medical and physical treatments. Related treatments for psychosocial and mental health needs have not been a priority for healthcare professionals. Understanding the process by which individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 adapt psychologically will allow better planning for mental healthcare and healthcare outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore how recovered individuals with COVID-19 adapted to related psychological and social stressors during the infection period. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used to investigate a purposive sample of 13 individuals in Jordan who had recovered from COVID-19. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Perceptions related to being diagnosed with COVID-19 were distinguished into four major themes: conscious awareness (acceptance, victimization, and normalizing), uncertainty (apprehension and poor communication), sources of psychosocial support (caring family, healthcare professionals' support, and self-grieving), and resilience (optimism, positive thinking, and spirituality). The findings of this study indicate the need to integrate psychosocial and mental healthcare services into healthcare plans provided to individuals with COVID-19 and similar pandemic infections.

Stress and Coping Strategies Among Those Affected by Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Epidemic in Sierra Leone, West Africa

Introduction:The 2014-2016 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa resulted in 28,000 infected and over 10,000 deaths. Sierra Leone was one of the hardest hit countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the coping strategies employed by those most affected by EVD and its related stressors in Sierra Leone.Method:228 EVD-infected individuals, EVD-affected individuals, and community leaders were recruited using purposive maximum variation sampling. Key-informant interviews (n=42) and focus group discussions (n=27) were conducted across five districts in Sierra Leone. Data were analyzed and coded inductively by a team of researchers, using Thematic Content Analysis using NVivo (k=0.80 or above for interrater reliability).Results:Participants described stressors, coping and support on four levels: individual, family, community, and society. On the individual level, theft and spoiled belongings were leading sources of stress while faith and spirituality were main sources of coping and support. On the familial level, lack of financial resources and inability to work emerged as primary stressors, while engaging with family was a main source of support. On the community level, social exclusion emerged as a prominent stressor and community reintegration as a source of support. On the societal level, participants' lack of governmental support and termination of support from NGOs emerged as stressors, and provision of formal material assistance as a source of support.Conclusion:In a widespread public health crisis, understanding people’s perceptions of the most salient stressors and sources of support can inform future responses. In this study, participants experienced stressors and support across multiple levels of the social ecology, such as grief and faith, household financial pressure and kinship care, and formal material resources for survivors. Results also showed the importance of community-led initiatives that addressed material needs, as well as social acceptance and social support.

Season-dependent impact of forage quality on stress in alpine chamois.

Chronically heightened stress levels in wildlife species may have detrimental effects on individual life history traits, for example, through the increased likelihood of disease, parasitic infections, and overall reduced fitness. Understanding the drivers of stress may thus have great potential for informing wildlife conservation. Although the role of climate and individual status is well studied in stress ecology, the impact of related stressors such as dietary quality is of increasing interest to wildlife research and conservation. In this study, fecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) in Alpine chamois Rupicapra r. rupicapra used as bioindicators of stress, and their relationship with forage quality-measured as the percentage of fecal crude protein (CP)-were investigated. Data collection took place in 2011 and 2012 in the Gran Paradiso National Park (Western Italian Alps), on 22 individually marked adult males. The relationship between FCMs and CPs was analyzed through linear models and separated between winter and summer months, accounting for the effect of potentially confounding exogenous and endogenous variables. After AICc-based model selection, we found that forage quality was negatively related to FCM levels in Alpine chamois during the summer months, meaning that higher quality forage was associated with the decreased expression of stress hormones. However, during the winter months, we did not find a significant relationship, potentially as a result of forage quality being ubiquitously poor. Although the mechanisms through which dietary variations impact FCM concentrations in wildlife populations are largely unknown, the occurrence of significant relationships between forage quality and stress levels supports potentially important implications for the long-term effect of climatic changes on the fitness of wildlife populations.

0963 Everyday Discrimination Is Associated with Sleep-Related Impairments Among Blacks During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Introduction Sleep is influenced by a set of multilevel factors including race and ethnicity. There is overwhelming evidence supporting that sleep quality is poorer within nonwhite groups. Race-based stressors and discrimination are believed to be among the logical explanation of these widespread racial/ethnic disparities in sleep health. This study aimed to highlight the effects of discrimination on sleep related impairments among Black adults. Methods Our sample included 280 Blacks and African Americans enrolled in two NIH-funded community-based sleep studies: ESSENTIAL and MOSAIC. Participants were recruited between January 2020 and April 2022 in the New York City or Tri-State area (n=101; 36%) and South Florida (n=179; 64%). Data were gathered on demographics, sleep disturbance, activity, stress, and support using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), PROMIS Sleep-Related Impairment (SRI) questionnaire (short form 8a), Godin Leisure-Time Exercise questionnaire, Everyday Discrimination Scale, stressful life events experienced within the past year, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Correlation analyses were conducted among continuous variables to explore associations among sleep, activity, support, discrimination, and stress. Controlling for age, race/ethnicity, and sex, multilinear regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between stressful life event exposure, discrimination, social support, and activity on sleep impairment. Results Of the 280 participants, 63% were female (n = 177) and the mean age was 43.4 years. A total of 36% (n = 101) were from the New York City/Tri-State area, while 64% (n = 179) were from the South Florida region. Controlling for age, race/ethnicity, physical activity, non-race related stressors, social support, and sex, everyday discrimination was the strongest predictor of sleep related impairments (SRI) [β = -0.198, p < 0.05]. Sex was positively associated with SRI scores [β = 0.167, p = 0.05]. On average, women reported higher SRI scores. Conclusion In this study, we found that among Blacks and African Americans in the New York City, Tri-State areas, and South Florida areas, during the Covid-19 pandemic, greater discrimination experience was associated with higher level of sleep-related impairments. Support (if any) K01HL135452, K07AG052685, R01AG072644, R01HL152453, R01MD007716, R01HL142066, R01AG067523, R01AG056031, and R01AG075007

A Stab in The Dark

In most of classic surgical training programs, we have taught how to perform surgery, but we have not taught how to live as a surgeon. Surgeons share many personality characteristics with high achievers, and these characters lend themselves toward negative emotions and burnout. However, surgeons are also in a unique position to take advantages of on many aspects of happiness that they touch upon every day in their pursuit of helping people to feel better. As a group, surgeons need to be aware of and minimize the possible negative aspects of surgery-related inherent nature threatens. They must also be aware of happiness as a reality and explore all aspects of happiness in their professional and personal lives. Here, we tried to explore the potential stressors and their effects among the field of surgery. Finally, the coping strategies are addressed to make a clear view for application in the daily surgical practice. The value of this review to shed light in a dark-area in our surgical community. We hope that, it will present the topic in the heart of surgical teachers. Conclusion: Surgery related stressors are diverse and have significant risks. However, although we are aware by harmful effects of stressors, the coping strategies not gain the same value and actually did not taught explicitly during residential surgery training. This article presents a light in the dark about the harmful effects of stress on both physicians and their patients aiming to improve the coping strategies. It is also a voice to consider and include coping strategies in surgical curricula.

Challenges and stressors in intimate intercultural relationships: A systematic research synthesis

AbstractGlobalization has facilitated increasing cross‐cultural interactions and the formation of intimate intercultural relationships. This study systemically screened and reviewed fifteen quantitative studies that included participants in a current intimate intercultural relationship, synthesizing their research methods and findings with a focus on investigating stressors and challenges. The results revealed that intercultural couples could face various external challenges like marginalization and family disapproval and internal challenges such as conflicting cultural values. When these challenges and stressors are present, couples are more likely to experience lower relationship satisfaction and more negative relational interactions. This study provides an overview of the state of quantitative research on intercultural relationships, highlighting its limitations and future directions. The findings of this critical analysis can also inform clinical practices with distressed intercultural couples.

Scoping review: longitudinal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on child and adolescent mental health.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated containment measures have massively changed the daily lives of billions of children and adolescents worldwide. To investigate the global longitudinal effects on various mental health outcomes over a period of 1.5years, we conducted a scoping review in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We included the peer-reviewed articles from PubMed, Web of Science, and APA PsycInfo that were published between December 2019 and December 2021, followed a longitudinal or repeated cross-sectional design, and quantitatively assessed with clinical questionnaires the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic or a related stressor on mental health indicators in community samples of children and adolescents.The results of our qualitative analysis of 69 studies indicate a general trend of less psychological well-being and more mental health problems, such as heightened stress, and depressive and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. Data suggest that both protection measure intensity and infection dynamics were positively associated with severity of the psychopathology. The most reported influencing factors were age, gender, socio-economic status, previous state of mental and physical health, self-regulation abilities, parental mental health, parenting quality, family functioning, social support, isolation and loneliness, health-related worries, and consistent routines and structure. Our results demonstrate that children and adolescents worldwide have experienced more mental health problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They call for improved access to child and adolescent mental health care and prioritisation of child and adolescent welfare in political decision making.

Anxiety and social media use: a moderator of stress in the COVID-19.

As concern for students' psychological well-being is shared by all segments of the culture, many scholars have conducted research on this issue in early years. The problem with these studies was that people's mental health was affected by their use of social media during a very bad epidemic. However, nowadays, the association between the use of social media and well-being needs to be further explained in the context of persistent disease outbreaks over time. This paper examines COVID-19-related anxiety and social media use. SMU, COVID-19 stressors, anxiety, and variables were obtained from Chinese college students using an online questionnaire (e.g., health history, online media use, etc.). According to regression analyses, participants who spent more time using social media were more anxious in COVID-19-related content, while participants with more related stressors experienced less anxiety. The purpose of this study was to determine whether COVID-19 stressors moderated the association between social media use and mental health conditions such as anxiety in an epidemic setting in China. Study findings revealed that students with more COVID-19 stressors experiencing less anxiety when using social media, but COVID-19 stressors were no longer a risk factor.

Insights into barriers and facilitators in PrEP uptake and use among migrant men and transwomen who have sex with men in Belgium

BackgroundPrEP uptake is low among non-Belgian men and transwomen who have sex with men, although the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men in Belgium is diversifying in terms of nationalities and ethnicity. We lack an in-depth understanding of this gap.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study using a grounded theory approach. The data consists of key informants interviews and in-depth interviews with migrant men or transwomen who have sex with men.ResultsWe identified four underlying determinants which shape our participants’ experiences and contextualize the barriers to PrEP use. These include (1) the intersectional identities of being migrant and men and transwomen who have sex with men, (2) migration related stressors, (3) mental health and (4) socio-economic vulnerability. Identified barriers include: the accessibility of services; availability of information, social resources and providers’ attitudes. These barriers influence PrEP acceptance and mediated by individual agency this influences their PrEP uptake.ConclusionAn interplay of several underlying determinants and barriers impacts on PrEP uptake among migrant men and transwomen who have sex with men, illustrating a social gradient in access to PrEP. We need equitable access to the full spectrum of HIV prevention and care for all priority populations, including undocumented migrants. We recommend social and structural conditions that foster exercising these rights, including adapting PrEP service delivery, mental health and social support.