Mental and Social Health Commons^™

States’ Covid-19 Restrictions Were Associated With Increases In Drug Overdose Deaths In 2020, Douglas A. Wolf, Shannon M. Monnat, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily E. Wiemers, Elyse Grossman

Center for Policy Research

Drug overdoses surged in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health experts raised concerns in the pandemic’s early months about how the pandemic and the policies enacted to stem it might increase overdose risk. This brief summarizes the findings of a paper that used national data to identify how states’ COVID-19 policies affected drug overdose rates among U.S. adults ages 25-64 during the first year of the pandemic. Results show that counties located in states that adopted more aggressive in-person activity restrictions experienced larger increases in 2020 than counties located in states with fewer limitations. State economic support policies …

The Effect Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Sanitation Practices And Anxiety In The General Population, Leah Cliatt, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Illness anxiety and fear of contracting coronavirus increased considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic. The media, being in lockdown, and cyberchondria had the largest impact on the population’s anxiety surrounding illness. While this kind of reaction to illness is expected during the pandemic, there is limited data on post-pandemic illness anxiety levels in the general population. Patients’ perception of disease impacts medicine at every level; medical professionals need to understand the concerns and fears of their patients in order to treat the post-pandemic patient. We hypothesized that sanitation practices and anxiety surrounding illness have not returned to baseline pre-COVID-19 …

States’ Covid-19 Restrictions Were Associated With Increases In Drug Overdose Deaths In 2020, Douglas A. Wolf, Shannon M. Monnat, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily E. Wiemers, Elyse Grossman

Population Health Research Brief Series

Drug overdoses surged in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health experts raised concerns in the pandemic’s early months about how the pandemic and the policies enacted to stem it might increase overdose risk. This brief summarizes the findings of a paper that used national data to identify how states’ COVID-19 policies affected drug overdose rates among U.S. adults ages 25-64 during the first year of the pandemic. Results show that counties located in states that adopted more aggressive in-person activity restrictions experienced larger increases in 2020 than counties located in states with fewer limitations. State economic support policies …

Opioid-Related Emergency Department Visits Before And During Covid-19: Association With Community-Level Factors, Timothy F. Page, Weiwei Chen, François Sainfort, Julie A. Jacko

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between community-level variables and emergency department (ED) visit rates before and during COVID-19. The focus was on opioid-related ED visits. Despite large declines in overall ED visits during COVID-19, opioid-related visits increased. While visits for avoidable conditions decreased, the opposite was true for opioid-related visits.

Methods

We combined data from Florida EDs with community-level variables from the 2020 American Community Survey. The outcome measures of the study were quarterly ZIP code tabulation-area-level ED visit rates for opioid-related ED visits as well as visit rates for all other causes. Associations …

Drivers Of Being Unhoused And The Prevalence Of Health Conditions Among Unhoused Individuals In Asheville, Nc, Andrea K. Yontz, Amber Beane, Tessa Frank, Amy Upham, Dustin V. Patil, Dan Pizzo, Steve Buie, Jacqueline R. Halladay

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in the number of unhoused individuals in Asheville, North Carolina resulting in more tent encampments.

Understanding the physical, mental, and socially determined health characteristics associated with being unhoused can help guide stakeholders with policy development, healthcare program planning, and funding decisions to support unhoused individuals.

Methods

In this study, we used an observational cross-section methodology. Using a convenience sample approach, we interviewed 101 participants who were receiving services from 2 emergency hotel shelters, a day center, and a resource center. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and open-ended responses were collected …

The Lived Experiences Of Counselors-In-Training Completing Practicum And Internship During Covid-19, Shelby Lauren Dillingham

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

COVID-19’s classification as a pandemic in March 2020 changed numerous professions as they adjusted to social distancing expectations. Mental health providers particularly encountered transitions that included higher acuity caseloads, working different hours, and increased exposure to COVID-19. Counselors-in-training (CIT) faced the dilemma of earning their clinical hours in a safe manner, especially CITs working within integrated healthcare settings, such as hospitals or clinics. Despite some research with licensed professional counselors, limited research exists examining CITs' experiences working during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to understand the lived experiences of CITs who completed their clinical hours in an integrated behavioral …

Reliability And Validity Of The Patient Health Questionnaire-4 Scale And Its Subscales Of Depression And Anxiety Among Us Adults Based On Nativity, David Adzrago, Timothy J Walker, Faustine Williams

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The burdens of anxiety and depression symptoms have significantly increased in the general US population, especially during this COVID-19 epidemiological crisis. The first step in an effective treatment for anxiety and depression disorders is screening. The Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4, a 4-item measure of anxiety/depression) and its subscales (PHQ-2 [a 2-item measure of depression] and Generalized Anxiety Disorder [GAD-2, a 2-item measure of anxiety]) are brief but effective mass screening instruments for anxiety and depression symptoms in general populations. However, little to no study examined the psychometric properties (i.e., reliability and validity) of the PHQ-4 and its subscales (PHQ-2 …

Racial Discrimination And Interpersonal Violence In Asian American Adolescents During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Yu Lu, Elizabeth Baumler, Leila Wood, Vi D Le, Shannon P Guillot-Wright, Jeff R Temple

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Racial discrimination targeting Asians in the United States has increased sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a well-established link with mental/physical health outcomes, little is known about how racial discrimination relates to interpersonal violence, particularly in adolescents. To address this gap in knowledge, we examined cross-sectional and longitudinal (1-year follow-up) associations between racial discrimination and interpersonal violence perpetration and victimization in Asian American adolescents in a large US city.

METHODS: Data from Waves 3 (2020) and 4 (2021) of a randomized clinical trial of a school-based violence prevention program were examined. We limited our sample to participants who identified …

Coping Strategies During The Covid-19 Pandemic Among The Undergraduate Nursing Students Attending Virtual Classes In Selected Nursing Institutions Of Udupi Taluk, Karnataka., Rohan Shettigar Mr, Karthik Gavalkar Mr, Jeeshpa Karkera Ms, Pooja P Ms, Swathi Shenoy Ms, Pratibha Kamath, Radhika R. R Pai Dr

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Introduction

Psychological and sociocognitive behavior changes will occur during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially concerning students’ academic activities, which might impact one's health and well-being. As a result of this, it could result in dysfunctional behaviors and unhealthy lifestyles, which may indicate a shift in well-being that calls for quick attention and intervention.

Methods

A descriptive survey design was adopted for the present study to identify the coping strategies adopted by nursing students during COVID-19. The study was conducted among 60 fourth-year B.Sc. Nursing students using the purposive sampling technique. The data was collected using structured questionnaires on coping strategies adopted …

Cross-Sectional And Descriptive Study On The Challenges And Awareness Of Hispanic Parents Regarding Their Adolescents’ Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jihye Kim, Robin Scott

Faculty Articles

Research has shown that during the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 20% of children and adolescents in the United States experienced mental health issues that became a significant social concern. However, recent studies have demonstrated that the majority of adolescents maintain positive emotions despite the crisis. This cross-sectional and descriptive study delves into the emotional states of adolescents during the pandemic, considering the viewpoints of both adolescents and their parents, with a specific focus on Hispanic adolescents. Survey results revealed that most adolescents reported positive and happy moods. However, a percentage of adolescents experienced worry, significant changes in feelings, and loneliness as …

Real-World Dispensing Of Buprenorphine In California During Prepandemic And Pandemic Periods, Yun Wang, Alexandre Chan, Richard Beuttler, Marc L. Fleming, Todd Schneberk, Michael Nichol, Haibing Lu

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: The opioid overdose crisis in the United States has become a significant national emergency. Buprenorphine, a primary medication for individuals coping with opioid use disorder (OUD), presents promising pharmacokinetic properties for use in primary care settings, and is often delivered as a take-home therapy. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the scarcity of access to buprenorphine, leading to dire consequences for those with OUD. Most existing studies, primarily focused on the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, highlight the challenges in accessing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs), particularly buprenorphine. However, these studies only cover a relatively short timeframe. Methods: To …

Effect Of Anti-Interleukin-6 Agents On Psychopathology In A Sample Of Patients With Post-Covid-19 Syndrome: An Observational Study, Alessio Simonetti, Antonio Restaino, Evelina Bernardi, Ottavia Marianna Ferrara, Stella Margoni, Antonio Maria D'Onofrio, Federica Ranieri, Delfina Janiri, Vincenzo Galluzzo, Matteo Tosato, Georgios D Kotzalidis, Francesco Landi, Gabriele Sani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitors tocilizumab and sarilumab have recently been approved for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They also affect mood, even though their effect on the post-COVID-19 syndrome-related psychopathology still has to be investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate their effect on psychopathology in a sample of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. We included 246 patients (34% female, 66% male) aged 18–75 years who had been hospitalized for COVID. Patients were split into those who received anti-IL-6 receptor agents (Anti-IL-6-R, N = 88) and those who did not (Ctrl, N = 158). The former group was …

Understanding The Importance Of Administrative Mental Health Support For Frontline Nurses Post Covid-19, Sarah Mah

Nursing | Senior Theses

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, intensive care units and critical care units were overwhelmed with the number of patients that were on the floors. It was during this time that nurses were experiencing the most mental health decline.

Several factors can be associated with the rapid decline of nurses’ mental health. However, these issues could ultimately stem from the lack of action taken by healthcare administration. This includes increased workload and the lack of PPE, resources institutional support. Because these units played such a vital role during the pandemic, it is imperative that healthcare administrators do what they …

Rural And Urban Clinician Views On Covid- 19’S Impact On Substance Use Treatment For Individuals On Community Supervision In Kentucky, Carrie B. Oser, Maria Rockett, Sebastian Otero, Evan Batty, Marisa Booty, Rachel Gressick, Michele Staton, Hannah K. Knudsen

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

Background The COVID-19 pandemic produced system-level changes within the criminal legal system and community-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system with impacts on recovery efforts. This study examines rural and urban clinicians’ perspectives of COVID-19 on SUD treatment delivery for people on community supervision.

Methods Virtual qualitative interviews were conducted between April and October 2020 with 25 community supervision clinicians employed by Kentucky’s Department of Corrections (DOC), who conduct assessments and facilitate community-based treatment linkages for individuals on probation or parole. Transcripts were analyzed in NVivo using directed content analysis methods.

Results Clinicians were predominantly white (92%) and female (88%) …

The Seroprevalence Of Sars-Cov-2-Specific Antibodies In Australian Children: A Cross-Sectional Study, Archana Koirala, Jocelynne Mcrae, Philip N Britton, Marnie Downes, Shayal A Prasad, Suellen Nicholson, Noni E Winkler, Matthew V N O'Sullivan, Fatima Gondalwala, Cecile Castellano, Emma Carey, Alexandra Hendry, Nigel Crawford, Ushma Wadia, Peter Richmond, Helen S Marshall, Julia E Clark, Joshua R Francis, Jeremy Carr, Adam Bartlett, Brendan Mcmullan, Justin Skowno, Donald Hannah, Andrew Davidson, Britta S Von Ungern-Sternberg, Paul Lee-Archer, Laura L Burgoyne, Edith B Waugh, John B Carlin, Zin Naing, Nicole Kerly, Alissa Mcminn, Guillian Hunter, Christine Heath, Natascha D'Angelo, Carolyn Finucane, Laura A Francis, Sonia Dougherty, William Rawlinson, Theo Karapanagiotidis, Natalie Cain, Rianne Brizuela, Christopher C Blyth, Nicholas Wood, Kristine Macartney

Staff and Researcher Publications

Background: Following reduction of public health and social measures concurrent with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron emergence in late 2021 in Australia, COVID-19 case notification rates rose rapidly. As rates of direct viral testing and reporting dropped, true infection rates were most likely to be underestimated.

Objective: To better understand infection rates and immunity in this population, we aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Australians aged 0-19 years.

Methods: We conducted a national cross sectional serosurvey from June 1, 2022, to August 31, 2022, in children aged 0-19 years undergoing an anesthetic procedure at eight tertiary pediatric hospitals. Participant questionnaires were administered, and …

Work Characteristics, Workplace Support, And Mental Ill-Health In A Canadian Cohort Of Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicola Cherry, Anil Adisesh, Igor Burstyn, Quentin Durand-Moreau, Jean-Michel Galarneau, France Labrèche, Shannon Ruzycki, Tanis Zadunayski

Études primaires

Objective The aim of the study was to identify determinants of mental health in healthcare workers (HCW) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cohort of Canadian HCW completed four questionnaires giving details of work with patients, ratings of workplace supports, a mental health questionnaire, and substance use. Principal components were extracted from 23 rating scales. Risk factors were examined by Poisson regression. Results A total of 4854 (97.8%) of 4964 participants completed ratings and mental health questionnaires. Healthcare workers working with patients with COVID-19 had high anxiety and depression scores. One of three extracted components, 'poor support,' was related to …

Excess Risk Of Covid-19 Infection And Mental Distress In Healthcare Workers During Successive Pandemic Waves: Analysis Of Matched Cohorts Of Healthcare Workers And Community Referents In Alberta, Canada, Jean-Michel Galarneau, France Labrèche, Quentin Durand-Moreau, Shannon Ruzycki, Anil Adisesh, Igor Burstyn, Tanis Zadunayski, Nicola Cherry

Études primaires

Objectives: To investigate changes in risk of infection and mental distress in healthcare workers (HCWs) relative to the community as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed. Methods: HCWs in Alberta, Canada, recruited to an interprovincial cohort, were asked consent to link to Alberta’s administrative health database (AHDB) and to information on COVID-19 immunization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Those consenting were matched to records of up to five community referents (CRs). Physician diagnoses of COVID-19 were identified in the AHDB from the start of the pandemic to 31 March 2022. Physician consultations for mental health (MH) conditions (anxiety, stress/adjustment reaction, depressive) …

Comparing The Use And Effectiveness Of In-Person And Remote Physical Education Delivery During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kempson Onadeko, Timothy J Walker, Derek W Craig, Jacob Szeszulski, Andjelka Pavlovic, Laura F Defina, Harold W Kohl

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Physical Education is a key component to improve youth health, but there is limited information on Physical Education delivery in different formats.

PURPOSE: We compared PE formats (in-person versus remote) across evaluation aspects: weekly minutes; perceived effectiveness; and student-to-teacher ratio.

METHODS: We distributed questionnaires (2020-2021 school year) to school contacts who represented NFL Play 60 FitnessGram

RESULTS: Among 165 schools, 10% (n=17) offered in-person instruction, 31% (n=51) offered remote instruction, and 59% offered both (n=97). Results revealed higher in-person PE minutes (77.2±7.3) compared to remote minutes (67.1±14.6), but results were not significantly different (p=0.19). School contacts reported significantly more …

Self-Perception Of Mental Health, Covid-19 And Associated Sociodemographic-Contextual Factors In Latin America, Pablo Roa, Guillermo Rosas, Gloria Isabel Niño-Cruz, Sergio Mauricio Moreno-López, Juliana Mejía-Grueso, Haney Aguirre-Loaiza, Javiera Alarcón-Aguilar, Rodrigo Reis, Adriano Akira Ferreira Hino, Fernando López, Deborah Salvo, Andrea Ramírez-Varela

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alterations in self-perceived mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and their associated factors in four Latin American countries. This is a cross-sectional study based on data collected from adults in 2021 through the Collaborative Response COVID-19 Survey by the MacDonnell Academy at Washington University in St. Louis (United States). The sample was composed of 8,125 individuals from Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Chile. A generalized linear model for a binary outcome variable with a logistic link and fixed country effects was used. There were 2,336 (28.75%) individuals who considered having suffered alterations in …

The Lived Experience Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Among Mandate-Resistant Adults In Washington State, Amber N. Peterson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examined the lived experience of self-identified, mandate-resistant adults in Washington state. This study explored participants’ experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, from a retrospective framework by uncovering challenges, silver linings, decision-making, and self-reported mental health. Remote interviews were conducted with nine participants. Participants were between 23–31 years old, mostly male, and over half identified as Black. Through semi structured interviews, data was collected and analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Participants described their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted significant changes in the way they lived their lives. Most notably, participants described ways in which they defied COVID-19 …

The Uprmt Preserves Mitochondrial Import To Extend Lifespan, Jolaade Kalinowski, Elizabeth A Hintz, Chigozirim Izeogu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic introduced many challenges and nuances that have transformed medical practice and research. The uncertainty caused by COVID-19 led to inevitable challenges to patient-provider relationships. The ever-changing landscape of COVID-19 research and policy proved to be challenging for the medical community and patients. These challenges also exacerbated long-standing issues regarding patient-provider communication and trust. On the other hand, these challenges gave voice to a burgeoning patient advocacy community. Through social media, advocacy and patient organizing, patients harnessed their power and organized over challenges relating to COVID-19 fears and concerns, ramifications of "Long COVID," and much more. During …

Overcoming The Unseen: Understanding Diverse Canadian Workers’ Well-Being During The Beginning Of The Coronavirus Pandemic, Tyler M. Pacheco

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Canadian workers were severely affected by the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The rapid spread of the pathogen across Canada resulted in several work-related consequences (e.g., temporary/indefinite layoffs and business closures, mandatory working-from-home) that could have impacted workers’ well-being during this turbulent period. Research available at the start of this dissertation process, and even more recently published studies, primarily explored general trends in workers’ negative well-being during COVID-19, not examining the distinct realities that diverse workers, including more marginalized ones, may have experienced. Across three manuscripts, several theories from diverse disciplines (positive, developmental, community, and industrial-organizational psychology, public health) …

Understanding The Experience Of Mothers In Higher Education During The Covid-19 Era, Shannan L. Engel

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This exploratory study aimed to understand the experience of mothers in higher education both during the COVID-19 pandemic and toward the end of restrictions. The population included academic mothers with children at home during the pandemic. Data was analyzed thematically by a team of researchers. The results generated six themes: (a) life changed suddenly, (b) remote work, school, and life, (c) unsupported, (d) sense of control, (e) support, and (f) positive aspects of COVID. These findings are important to the field of mental health counseling profession, supervision, and higher education because of the circumstances exemplified by the pandemic that highlight …

Para-Infectious Brain Injury In Covid-19 Persists At Follow-Up Despite Attenuated Cytokine And Autoantibody Responses, Benedict D Michael, Cordelia Dunai, Edward J Needham, Kukatharmini Tharmaratnam, Robyn Williams, Yun Huang, Sarah A Boardman, Jordan J Clark, Parul Sharma, Krishanthi Subramaniam, Greta K Wood, Ceryce Collie, Richard Digby, Alexander Ren, Emma Norton, Maya Leibowitz, Soraya Ebrahimi, Andrew Fower, Hannah Fox, Esteban Tato, Mark A Ellul, Geraint Sunderland, Marie Held, Claire Hetherington, Franklyn N Egbe, Alish Palmos, Kathy Stirrups, Alexander Grundmann, Anne-Cecile Chiollaz, Jean-Charles Sanchez, James P Stewart, Michael Griffiths, Tom Solomon, Gerome Breen, Alasdair J Coles, Nathalie Kingston, John R Bradley, Patrick F Chinnery, Jonathan Cavanagh, Sarosh R Irani, Angela Vincent, J Kenneth Baillie, Peter J Openshaw, Malcolm G Semple, Covid-Cns Consortium, Isaric4c Investigators, Leonie S Taams, David K Menon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

To understand neurological complications of COVID-19 better both acutely and for recovery, we measured markers of brain injury, inflammatory mediators, and autoantibodies in 203 hospitalised participants; 111 with acute sera (1-11 days post-admission) and 92 convalescent sera (56 with COVID-19-associated neurological diagnoses). Here we show that compared to 60 uninfected controls, tTau, GFAP, NfL, and UCH-L1 are increased with COVID-19 infection at acute timepoints and NfL and GFAP are significantly higher in participants with neurological complications. Inflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-12p40, HGF, M-CSF, CCL2, and IL-1RA) are associated with both altered consciousness and markers of brain injury. Autoantibodies are more common …

Wellness Review 2023, Part 1, Brian A. Ferguson, Martin Huecker

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: The 2023 Part 1 summary reviews research on wellness in healthcare professionals published outside of JWellness from January 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023.

Methods: Editors conducted a Boolean search of titles and abstracts in PubMed utilizing keyword identifiers pairing healthcare personnel (providers, nurses, and other staff) with a well-being metric. Of 416 relevant articles, an intriguing and innovative 30 were selected for inclusion, with two additional articles manually curated.

Literature in Review: This sample of the recent literature into healthcare professional wellness included multiple targeted interventions and studies of resilience. Main themes that emerged include: positive systematic healthcare …

Empagliflozin In Patients Admitted To Hospital With Covid-19 (Recovery): A Randomised, Controlled, Open-Label, Platform Trial, Recovery Collaborative Group

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Empagliflozin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its anti-inflammatory, metabolic, and haemodynamic effects. The RECOVERY trial aimed to assess its safety and efficacy in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.

METHODS: In the randomised, controlled, open-label RECOVERY trial, several possible treatments are compared with usual care in patients hospitalised with COVID-19. In this analysis, we assess eligible and consenting adults who were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus oral empagliflozin 10 mg once daily for 28 days or until discharge …

Prevalence Of Substance Use Among Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual High School Students In 2019 Vs. 2021, Jordyn Lee, Elisabeth Hayes, Adam Wyatt

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Background: Studies suggest that LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, plus) youth are at increased risk of engaging in alcohol and substance use. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many students to isolate in 2020 and 2021, and the impacts of this have been purported to be detrimental. This study examines the prevalence of alcohol and substance use among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) U.S. high school students before the pandemic in 2019 versus 2021. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study used results from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the 2021 Adolescent Behavior and Experiences Survey (ABES). The 2019 YRBS …

Correlations Between Mental Health, Physical Activity, And Body Composition In American College Students After The Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown, Luis Torres, Manuela C Caciula, Alin S Tomoiaga, Carmen Gugu-Gramatopol

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had forced American college students to significantly reduce their daily energy expenditure and increase their sedentary behaviors, thus presumably increasing mental health symptoms, decreasing physical activity levels, and enhancing the promotion of unhealthy eating habits. This study aimed to explore the correlations between mental health symptoms, physical activity levels, and body composition in college students in the years following the pandemic, focusing on the lingering effects of lockdown measures. American college students completed pre-existing, well-validated surveys for both mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Long Form). Body …

Prevalence Of Depression, Anxiety And Stress After The Covid-19 Pandemic Period Among Students At The Medical University Of Sofia; Significance Of Demographic, Educational, And Pandemic-Related Variables, Nadya Avramova

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate dental students at Sofia Medical University and to investigate its associations with some demographic, educational and pandemic-related variables. A self-reported questionnaire that included the validated DASS-21 scale was administered to a group of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th year students (n=70, response rate 95.7%). Results indicated abnormal levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in 34.3%, 65.7% and 59.7% of the participants, respectively. A much larger proportion of females suffered from abnormal levels of anxiety (56.6%) as compared with males (9%), p=.003. Single students exhibited significantly …

A Covid-19-Inspired Comprehensive Approach To Resident Wellness And 360-Degree Approach To Pandemic Preparedness And Disinfection Practices, Preet Gudimella, Unnam Nasir, Heidi Pareja

Research Colloquium

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak that had led to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused stress for medical residents on the frontline. This motivated our team to implement changes in our residency program’s inpatient service. We approached resident wellness in a comprehensive manner. The changes we implemented at our site had crucial benefits for our inpatient teams. Not only did we implement conventional best practices on infection prevention, we also executed additional safety measures, addressed mental and physical health, and had COVID-19-specific skills training. Consequently, our residents were less stressed, better prepared, and more focused …