Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Does Social Pension Buy Improved Mental Health And Mortality Outcomes For Senior Citizens? Evidence From South Africa's 2008 Pension Reform, Cyprian Mostert, Diana Mackay, Alex Awiti, Manasi Kumar, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

In South Africa, men were traditionally eligible to receive government pensions at 65 years. However, that eligibility criterion was changed in 2008 to allow men to receive a pension payout at 60 years. This study is designed to quantify the impact of the 2008 pension reform on mental health outcomes (depression and traumatic stress) and deaths among 60-year-old men from disadvantaged households without advanced education. This analysis used secondary data issued by Statistic South Africa- General Household Survey. Men who reported earning a pension at 60 years from 2008 to 2014 were exposed to the 2008 pension reform and thus …

Interpersonal Psychotherapy’S Problem Areas As An Organizing Framework To Understand Depression And Sexual And Reproductive Health Needs Of Kenyan Pregnant And Parenting Adolescents: A Qualitative Study, Manasi Kumar, Obadia Yator, Vincent Nyongesa, Martha Kagoya, Shillah Mwaniga, Joseph Kathono, Isaiah Gitonga, Nancy Grote, Helena Verdeli, Keng Yen Huang

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Peripartum adolescents experience signifcant interpersonal transitions in their lives. Depression and emotional distress are often exacerbated by adolescents’ responses to these interpersonal changes. Improved understanding of pregnancy-related social changes and maladaptive responses to these shifts may inform novel approaches to addressing the mental health needs of adolescents during the perinatal period. The paper aims to understand the sources of psychological distress in peripartum adolescents and map these to Interpersonal Psychotherapy’s (IPT) problem areas as a framework to understand depression.

Method: We conducted interviews in two Nairobi primary care clinics with peripartum adolescents ages 16–18 years (n=23) with …

Cultural And Contextual Adaptation Of Mental Health Measures In Kenya: An Adolescent-Centered Transcultural Adaptation Of Measures Study, Vincent Nyongesa, Shillah Mwaniga, Joseph Kathono, Obadia Yator, Beatrice Madeghe, Sarah Kanana, Beatrice Amugune, Naomi Anyango, Darius Nyamai, Manasi Kumar

Brain and Mind Institute

Introduction: There is paucity of culturally adapted tools for assessing depression and anxiety in children and adolescents in low-and middle-income countries. This hinders early detection, provision of appropriate and culturally acceptable interventions. In a partnership with the University of Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenyatta National Hospital, and UNICEF, a rapid cultural adaptation of three adolescent mental health scales was done, i.e., Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and additional scales in the UNICEF mental health module for adolescents.

Materials and methods: Using a qualitative approach, we explored adolescent participants’ views on cultural acceptability, comprehensibility, relevance, and completeness of …

Health And Socioeconomic Resource Provision For Older People In South Asian Countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan And Sri Lanka Evidence From Neesama, Natasha Roya Matthews, George James Porter, Mathew Varghese, Nidesh Sapkota, Murad Khan, Ammu Lukose, Stella-Maria Paddick, Malathie Dissanayake, Naila Zaman Khan, Richard Walker

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: The global population is ageing rapidly, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) undergoing a fast demographic transition. As the number of older adults in LMICs increases, services able to effectively address their physical and mental health needs will be increasingly important.

Objective: We review the health and socioeconomic resources currently available for older people in South Asian countries, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, to identify gaps in available resources and assess areas for improvement.

Methods: We conducted a search of grey and published literature via Google Search, Compendex, EBSCO, JSTOR, Medline, Ovid, ProQuest databases, …

Understanding The Mental Health Impact And Needs Of Public Healthcare Professionals During Covid-19 In Pakistan : A Qualitative Study, Waqas Hameed, Anam Shahil Feroz, Bilal Iqbal Avan, Bushra Khan, Zafar Fatmi, Noreen Afzal, Hussain Jafri, Mansoor Ali Wassan, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Objectives: A dearth of qualitative studies constrains in-depth understanding of health service providers' perspectives and experiences regarding the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health. This study explored the mental health impact and needs of of public sector healthcare workers during COVID-19 who working in secondary-level and tertiary-level healthcare settings of Pakistan.
Design: An exploratory qualitative study.
Setting: Twenty-five secondary-level and eight tertiary-level public hospitals of Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan.
Participants: In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 health service providers and 40 administrative personnel. Study data were analysed on NVivo V.11 using the conventional content analysis technique.
Results: …

Factors Associated With Loss Of Motivation And Hesitation To Work Amongst Frontline Health Care Providers During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey From A Developing Country, Mehreen Malik, Syeda Tayyaba Rehan, Farheen Malik, Jawad Ahmed, Chaudhary Abdul Fatir, Hassan Ul Hussain, Asiyah Aman, Muhammad Junaid Tahir

Department of Anaesthesia

Background: The COVID-19 took over the world in 2020 and a lockdown has been imposed seeing its fast spread. Frontline health care workers (HCWs) were reported frequently with a lack of motivation, hesitancy and unwillingness to perform their duties during this pandemic. This cross-sectional survey aims to evaluate the factors associated with lack of motivation and increased hesitancy among the frontline HCWs to perform their duties during COVID-19 pandemic.
Materials and methods: A total of 239 HCWs were included in this web-based cross-sectional study, who have worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. The anonymous online questionnaire was sent to all faculty, …

Prevalence And Risk Factors Associated With Depression In Pregnant Adolescents In Nairobi, Kenya, Albert Tele, Joseph Kathono, Shillah Mwaniga, Vincent Nyongesa, Obadia Yator, Onesmus Gachuno, Dalton Wamalwa, Beatrice Amugune, Zul Merali, Manasi Kumar

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Adolescent parenthood can be associated with a range of adverse outcomes for young mothers such as depression, substance abuse, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Identification of depression and understanding risk factors among pregnant adolescents is important for development of appropriate interventions and programs focused on adolescent mental health. This paper reports on the findings of the prevalence of depression and its associated risk factors among pregnant adolescents in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: We recruited 153 pregnant adolescent (14-18 years) who were accessing maternal health services in one of two Nairobi County primary health care facilities in the cross-sectional survey …

A Call For Prudent Taxation Of Cannabis Corporates To Fund Mental Health Programmes, Cyprian Mostert, Jasmit Shah, Lukoye Atwoli, Zul Merali, Manasi Kumar

Brain and Mind Institute

Cannabis consumption increases the incidence of psychotic disorders, violence, and cognitive impairments [1]. Governments need to implement progressive tax legislation, such as that which requires the cannabis sector to accept responsibility and account for its contribution to the worsening of these mental health conditions in developing countries. Excise taxes are rarely imposed on the cannabis sector [2], despite the lucrative wealth amassed by this industry. For example, current estimates show that the global cannabis sector was valued at $25 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $176 billion by 2030, driven solely by cannabis inhalation demands [3]. The projected …

Impact Of Biosecurity Measures, Social Pressure And Bullying On Attitudes, Perceptions, And Job Satisfaction Levels Among Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Genesis Camacho-Leon, Geovanny Efraín Alvarado-Villa, Derly Madeleiny Andrade-Molina, Juan Carlos Fernandez-Cadena, Arjola Agolli, Zeynep Yukselen, Miguel Felix, Juan Carlos Gallardo Bastidas

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: The extent and nature of social pressure and bullying towards healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 remains unclear. The following study identifies the effect of social pressure and bullying directed towards HCWs when using biosecurity measures during the COVID-19 pandemic; further, the impact on perceptions, attitudes and job satisfaction level is also explored.
Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional survey-based study among 684 Ecuadorian HCWs. The survey consisted of 38 questions related to the frequency, attitudes, and perceptions of biosecurity measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to assess the validity of the questionnaire. Associations between variables …

The Psychological Toll Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Private Practice Midwives In Indonesia And Its Relation With Perceived Knowledge And Individual Adaptability, Amelia Citra Kirana, Gracia Ivonika, Dewa Ayu Mirah Ardrini, Maria Stephani Dwitya, Ratih Ibrahim, Ray Wagiu Basrowi

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

COVID-19 had serious impacts on the lives and health of people across the globe. Due to the high-risk nature of their work midwives frequently report personal/professional adverse psychological impacts. However, there is a lack of studies examining the psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on private practice midwives in Indonesia and beyond. This study examines the psychological impacts of the pandemic on private practice midwives in Indonesia, as well as its association with individual adaptability and perceived knowledge about COVID-19. A total of 423 private practice midwives, who were active practitioners during the pandemic, completed an online survey, comprising five …

Mental Health Disorders Among Post Graduate Residents In Kenya During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sayed Karar, Jasmit Shah, Katie Du, Nidhi Leekha, Zohray Talib

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Healthcare workers, including residents, are prone to various mental health disorders especially given the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents, particularly, are already under undue stress due to their respective training program demands.

Methods: This cross-sectional, online survey-based study from August to November 2020 collected demographic and mental health measurements from all residents at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. The questionnaire investigated demographic variables, information regarding direct care of COVID-19 patients, prior history of mental health and mental health outcomes using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, Insomnia Severity Index, Impact of Event Scale–Revised …

The Unspoken Grief Of Multiple Stillbirths In Rural Pakistan: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Muhammad Asim, Sehrish Karim, Hajra Khwaja, Waqas Hameed, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: Pakistan has the highest rate of stillbirth (30.6 stillbirths per 1000 total births) as compared to other South Asian countries. The psychological impact of stillbirths on bereaved women is well documented; however, there is a dearth of literature on lived experiences of women with multiple stillbirths in Pakistan.
Objective: The purpose of this research is to understand the lived experiences of women who had multiple stillbirths in Thatta, Pakistan.
Methods: An interpretative phenomenological study was conducted in district Thatta with eight women who experienced more than one stillbirth. A semi-structured in-depth interview guide was used for data collection. The …

Mental Health Problems And Service Gaps Experienced By Pregnant Adolescents And Young Women In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review, Joan Mutahi, Anna Larsen, Pim Cuijpers, Stefan Swartling Peterson, Jurgen Unutzer, Mary Mckay, Grace John-Stewart, Teresa Jewell, John Kinuthia, Manasi Kumar

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Pregnant adolescent girls and young women (AGYW, aged 12–24 years) are at high risk for mental health problems, particularly in the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) region.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of mental health studies among pregnant AGYW in SSA published between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2020 in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Global Index Medicus following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42021230980). We used Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model to frame and synthesize results from included studies.

Findings: Our search yielded 945 articles from which 18 studies were included (N = 8 quantitative, N = 9 qualitative, …

Psychosocial And Mental Health Challenges Faced By Emerging Adults Living With Hiv And Support Systems Aiding Their Positive Coping: A Qualitative Study From The Kenyan Coast, Moses K. Nyongesa, Carophine Nasambu, Rachael Mapenzi, Hans M. Koot, Pim Cuijpers, Charles R. J. C. Newton, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, there is little data on the challenges faced by young people living with HIV tran- sitioning into adult life. Adapting the socio-ecological framework, this qualitative study investigated the challenges faced by emerging adults living with HIV from a rural Kenyan setting. Additionally, the study explored support systems that aid positive coping among these young adults.

Methods: In April 2018, in-depth interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 22 young adults living with HIV (12 females), 18–24 years old, from rural Kilifi, coast of Kenya. Data were analyzed thematically using NVIVO 11 software.

Results …