bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
For control of COVID-19: the development of regular mass testing of COVID-19 in old age psychiatry wards
Authors: Baek J. , Lennon S. 
Published: February 2022

Introduction
COVID-19, was declared a pandemic by World Health Organisation on March 11, 2020. Older people with dementia or those with multimorbidity are more vulnerable to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for the development of COVID-19. Given absence of a vaccine or treatment, prevention is the fundamental aspect of COVID-19 control. This requires early identification of contagious people with COVID-19 and isolation keeping them apart from non infected group of people. Early identification of infection in elderly with dementia or functional psychiatric condition is often difficult, due to difficulty in obtaining history or evaluating medical symptoms.Objectives1) To establish the current standards of interventions provided at the unit to control COVID-19, with current recommendation by Government guidance. 2) To address difficulties in early identification of people of COVID-19 in Old Age Psychiatry wards. 3) To introduce sustainable interventions aimed at controlling COVID-19 risk, targeted to this group.MethodsTrust guidance for COVID-19 testing on the ward and guidance of isolation were reviewed. Literature review of currently available scientific evidence for testing for controlling COVID-19 was conducted.ResultsWe have created a bi-weekly mass testing guidance for Old Age Psychiatry inpatient wards with clear guidane of when to start isolation and when to stop isolation.ConclusionsThere is no specific interventions to target older adult within our service currently and it was felt that it is necessary to develop a sustainable mass testing programme for this group of people for control of COVID-19.
Depression and anxiety consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal cohort study with university students
Authors: Conceição V. , Rothes I. , Gusmão R. , Barros H. 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionFor young people, just as in the general population, COVID-19 caused many changes in their lives. The literature review has shown an increased risk for mental illness symptoms as a consequence of the pandemic.ObjectivesWith this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in university students’ anxiety and depression symptoms.MethodsThis study is part of a larger longitudinal research on university students’ mental health with the Portuguese version of The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Portuguese version of the Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) data with evaluations on January, May and October 2019 and June 2020, as well as socio-demographic information.Results341 university students (257 females and 84 males) were included in this study, with a mean age of 19.91 (SD=1.58). In June 2020, the mean for perceived well-being loss was 60.47% (SD=26.56) and 59.54% (SD=28.95) for mental health loss. In the PHQ-9, the proportion of students with scores equal or above 15 ranged between 22.6% and 25.5% in 2019, however, in June 2020, the proportion was significantly higher (37.0%). The proportion of GAD-7 scores above the cut-off 10 ranged between 46.0% and 47.8% in 2019, and, in 2020, 64.5% of the students scored 10 or above. Compared with preceding trends, PHQ-9 scores were 3.11 (CI=2.40-3.83) higher than expected, and GAD-7 scores were 3.56 (CI=2.75-5.37) higher.ConclusionsCOVID-19 had a negative impact on depressive and anxiety symptoms in university students, in line with the literature and confirming the vulnerability of young people in such uncertain times.
Past, present and future of psychiatry
Authors: Sartorius N. 
Published: February 2022

Over the past few decades, psychiatry and mental health sciences have reached several major goals. The importance of mental health and the huge contribution to the burden of disability produced by mental and neurological disorders has been recognized by all and most recently also by the United Nations. Treatment technology has developed and permits the effective management of most mental disorders. Progress has also been made in the recognition of human rights of people with mental illness and those who care for them. More has to be done in these areas but there are also new tasks that are before psychiatry. These include the addition of primary prevention of mental disorders to previous efforts to ensure secondary and tertiary prevention of mental health problems; the development of appropriate ways of work in order to cope with problems of comorbidity of mental and physical disorders; and a fundamental reorientation of training in psychiatry and related sciences.DisclosureNo significant relationships.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals and associated factors: A review of literature
Authors: Sellami S. , Mami H. , Kacem M. , Hriz E. Ben , Fraj S. Ben , Bouzid R. 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic represents a stressful event for humanity. The spread of this disease mainly affects health professionals and interests them closely.ObjectivesIdentify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare personnels and associated factors exposing them to increased psychological fragility.MethodsThe current article is a narrative review of the existing literature. A search on electronic database like PubMed was undertaken using the search terms “coronavirus mental health healthcare workers”. 20 articles were included in this review.Results
Studies revealed that health care workers have prensented considerable psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, insomnia, somatization, mental and physical exhaustion, addiction and obssessive compulsive symptoms. The prevalence of these symptoms varies from study to another with almost a more notable prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms. The following factors that predispose to developing mental distress were noted: being a frontline health worker, having direct contact with infected patients, working in a city with a high infection rate, female sex, isolation, being a suspected case, stigmatization, change of organization, lack of materials, lack of information, lack of communication, lack of support, fear of contamination or of contaminating loved ones, having an organic pathology.ConclusionsThis notable impact of the pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers alerts us as colleagues and civil society to the ultimate need for an urgent adequate and up-to-date intervention to alleviate this distress.
Brazilian researchers meet online to discuss social distancing: Results from the first symposium of the group of studies and research on psychology and cognition (GEPESPSI)
Authors: Varanda C. , Filho A. Macedo 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionThe Group of Studies and Research on Psychology and Cognition (GEPESPSI) in Brazil has developed important academic and clinical actions on mental health in contexts of difficult psychological handling.ObjectivesGEPESPSI organized a symposium to discuss the psychological effects of isolation due to the strict measures of social distancing.Methods11 psychologists and one speech language pathologist discussed possible contributions to face social distancing in their specific fields of expertise in a virtual symposium of two days. The themes were: university teaching; support to the development of social and emotional competencies among children; the threat of the death of dreams in a phenomenological perspective; resilience and self-esteem; the repercussions of the lack of the school space for socialization; psychological tools for facing isolation; the challenges and perspectives of women who are victims of violence; online therapy for children; the health of workers; suicidal behavior; formulation of educational policies for remote learning and family mental health.Results1094 people were enrolled with an average of 400 people participating in each period. 91,1% of which were graduate students of a university. 55,7% were students of Psychology, 12,8% of Pedagogy, 6% of Physical Therapy among other courses. 39,8% of them were from the city of Santos, the others were from different regions of the country.ConclusionsThe feedback given by the participants was positive and involved gains such as sharing experience and knowledge but mainly creating connections to exchange psychological tools as a way of facing the difficulties of social distancing among researchers and graduate students.
Mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the front-line health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in rawalpindi, pakistan
Authors: Zubair U. , Mansoor S. , Mansoor T. 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionIn these unprecedented times, the medical workers particularly at the frontlines of the pandemic are vulnerable to psychological trauma rooted in the new demands of their work, as well as the prevailing sense of insecurity and safety concerns for themselves and their loved ones.ObjectivesTo explore the mental health impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the front-line health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi, PakistanMethodsFrontline healthcare workers will include all doctors, nurses and paramedical staff performing duties that involve dealing directly with known or suspected cases of COVID-19 at triage clinics, ICUs and isolation wards. Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and Impact of events scale-revised (IES-R) were administered to them to assess the mental health of these frontlines.ResultsA total of 94 frontlines were included in the study. 76(80.9%) had no significant depression while 18 (19.1%) had presence of significant depression. 62 (66%) had no significant anxiety while 32 (34%) had significant anxiety. Female gender and degree of contact with high clinical suspicion cases were significantly related with presence of anxiety and depression among the study participants. Being female, single, a nurse or a paramedic and degree of contact with high clinical suspicion cases was significantly related with presence of stress among the frontlines. People working in ICU or corona isolation unit had more chances of having trauma as compared to other frontlines.ConclusionsDepression, anxiety, stress and trauma were common among the front liners fighting in this pandemic
An intensive neurofeedback alpha-training to improve sleep quality and stress modulation in health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A pilot study
Authors: Conti D. , Celebre L. , Girone N. , Molteni L. , Vismara M. , Benatti B. , Bosi M. , Colombo A. , Dell’Osso B. 
Published: February 2022

Introduction
During the COVID-19 pandemic, health workers represented a group particularly vulnerable to work-related stress, but prevention and management of psychiatric symptoms are still under evaluation. Neurofeedback is a safe and non-invasive neuromodulation technique with the target of training participants in the self-regulation of neural substrates underlying specific psychiatric disorders. Protocols based on the increase of alpha frequencies, associated with the process of relaxation, are used for the treatment of stress, anxiety and sleep disturbances.ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of an alpha-increase NF protocol for the treatment of stress in healthcare workers exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsEighteen medical doctors belonging to the Sacco Hospital were recruited during the COVID-19 health emergency and underwent a 10 sessions NF alpha-increase protocol during two consecutive weeks. The level of stress was assessed at the beginning (T0) and at the end (T1) of the protocol through the following questionnaires: Severity of Acute Symptoms Stress (SASS), Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Brief-COPE. Statistical analyses were performed with Paired Samples t-Test for continuous variables, setting significance at p < 0.05.ResultsA significant increase in alpha waves mean values between T0 and T1 was observed. In addition, a significant reduction in the PSQI test score between T0 and T1 was observed.ConclusionsAlpha-increase protocol showed promising results in terms of stress modulation, sleep quality improvement and safety profile in a pilot sample of health-care workers. Larger controlled studies are warranted to confirm present results.
The psychological burden of long-term care facilities personnel during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic – a national survey in poland
Authors: Senczyszyn A. , Lion K. , Szcześniak D. , Trypka E. , Mazurek J. , Ciułkowicz M. , Fila-Witecka K. , Pawłowski M. , Łuc M. , Maćkowiak M. , Rymaszewska J. 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionThe high COVID-19 morbidity and mortality are observed among residents in long-term care facilities (LTCF) worldwide. Employees of LTCF, who are facing a critical epidemiological situation endangering the vulnerable residents, are exposed to pandemic’s psychological consequences daily.Objectives
The main aim of this study was to assess psychological consequences (somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, and depression) among LTCF employees exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic crisis. Moreover, we investigated if factors such as: personal protective equipment (PPE) availability, safety guidelines or access to psychiatric and psychological support at the workplace, correlated with the level of psychological distress experienced by personnel.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among personnel of LTCF in Poland. The survey consisted of the sociodemographic section, the authors’ questionnaire with questions related to COVID-19 exposure, working conditions, access to PPE and mental health services, GHQ Questionnaire-28.Results
show that access to PPE (P= .018), to workplace safety guidelines (P= .031), psychological support at workplace (P<0.01), fixed shift schedule (P= .05) and feeling that the right number of staff are employed in the workplace (P= .009), were related to the lower severity of psychopathological symptoms evaluated with the GHQ-28.Conclusions
The study indicates an evidence that LTCF personnel are susceptible to the development of anxiety, depression, insomnia and social dysfunction during the pandemic crisis. However, these can be modified by: access to PPE, safety guidelines and psychological support. Findings from this study lay a basis for effective interventions aiming to support psychological health within this group.
Mental health of israeli employees with autism spectrum disorders following COVID-19-related changes in employment status
Authors: Goldfarb Y. , Gal E. , Golan O. 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic caused employment related challenges worldwide. Adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are especially vulnerable, due to pre-existing employment challenges, intolerance to changes and uncertainty and high levels of related anxiety.ObjectivesTo examine COVID-19 related changes in work experiences and mental health of employees with ASD who held a steady job before the COVID-19 outbreak.Methods
Data were collected from 23 participants diagnosed with ASD (4 females), aged 20–49, who answered an online administered survey at two timepoints: prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, and during the outbreak. Self-reports included measures of background and employment status; mental health (General Health Questionnaire-12); job satisfaction (Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire); and satisfaction of psychological needs at work (Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration – Work domain).Results
Participants who continued to physically attend work maintained pre-COVID-19 levels on all assessed variables. Participants who transitioned to remote work from home preserved their salary levels and job satisfaction, but showed a marginally significant deterioration in mental health and a significant decrease in the satisfaction of their needs for competence and autonomy at work. Unemployed participants showed a significant decrease in mental health.Conclusions
Results highlight employment as a protective factor from the potential negative implications of COVID-19 on mental-health of employees with ASD. Employees who transition to working from home require personalized work-support plans due to the possible negative effects of this transition on mental health. Maintaining the routine of physically reporting to work should be preferred, when possible.
Gender differences in depression, anxiety, and stress during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in serbia - results from an online survey
Authors: Opanković A. , Latas M. , Jerotić S. , Ristić I. , Milovanović S. 
Published: February 2022

Introduction
COVID-19 outbreak has significantly affected the mental health of people worldwide. The first wave of the pandemic began during the beginning of March 2020, and included significant preventative measures. Previous research on mental health differences between the genders has found that women were more likely to exhibit symptoms of anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak.ObjectivesThe aim of our study was to assess the differences between the genders in depression, anxiety, and stress.Methods
An online survey designed for the purposes of this study was distributed using the snowballing method during April and May of 2020. The survey consisted of two parts: sociodemographic and clinical data, and COVID-19 related data. Participants also filled out the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) - a well validated, self-questionnaire instrument. T-test for independent samples was used to evaluate the differences between the genders.ResultsOut of the initially sent 563 surveys, a total of 161 were included in further analyses (28.6% response rate). Mean age of the sample was 42.2±10.2 and 65.2% of the participants were female. Mean scores on DASS-21 were as follows: 8.78±6.66 on depression, 9.78±7.39 on anxiety and 7.76±7.14 on stress. Females scored significantly higher on depression (t=-2.25, p=0.029), anxiety (t=-2.25, p=0.028), stress (t=-2.44, p=0.017), and total DASS-21 score (t=-2.44, p=0.016).ConclusionsThe results of our study imply that female participants exhibit higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Larger, population-based studies could provide a mroe in-depth answer to the importance of these differences for the general population.
Changes in sleep quality amidst COVID-19 pandemic among psychiatric patients in Romania
Authors: Petrescu M. , Mitrea A. , Tudor C. , Vasile D. 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionSleep disturbances can occur as a result of major stressful events. Additionally, research evidence suggests that COVID-19 pandemic may have negatively impacted the quality of sleep among various populations. However, individuals respond differently to the stress, uncertainty and social isolation related with COVID-19 pandemic.ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the changes in sleep quality and pattern among voluntary psychiatric patients visiting our clinic in Romania during COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe implemented a cross-sectional study over a period of 3 months, utilizing a Romanian-translated version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) which was administered through Google Forms web application. Participants lacking digital skills were provided with guidance for completing the questionnaire. Informed consent was obtained prior to participating in this study and data anonymity and confidentiality were ensured.ResultsAmong a total of 98 responders, 63% reported a global PSQI score greater than 5, indicating poor sleep. Approximately 25% of participants subjectively marked their sleep as either fairly bad or very bad. When analysing the 7 components of PSQI, our participants struggled most with long sleep latency. About a third of participants reported using sleep medication (both prescription and over-the-counter) three or more times a week within the past month.ConclusionsConsidering the fact that the current situation is likely to evolve for an unknown period of time, there is a dire need to assess the effect of prolonged adjustments in daily routine and their impact on the sleep and the quality of life of our patients.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mental heath
Authors: Rose E. , Manoharan M. , Powell J. 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionAs countries adopt strict quarantines and lockdowns, increasing attention has been given to the impact on mental wellbeing. The influence of this on perinatal mental health and service provision is important to consider, as these women may be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects already seen in general and psychiatric populations.ObjectivesThe impact on global mental health of Covid-19, and the isolation measures used to combat it’s spread, is increasingly acknowledged. We were interested in the effect the pandemic has had specifically on the mental health of women in the peripartum period. By reflecting on our experiences, we hope to generate ideas to improve services.MethodsWe considered the effects of the pandemic in this high-risk population during each stage of contact with services. This included pre-conception, antenatal and postnatal periods, as well as the potential longitudinal and service effects. Recent case examples were identified and described from our busy and diverse South London perinatal psychiatry service.ResultsRecent referrals to our service suggest the current crisis has been a key trigger for the deterioration of many women’s mental health. This includes women who have been impacted by various factors related to the pandemic, at all stages of the perinatal period.ConclusionsIt is vital to maintain equality of access to perinatal services and to continue to consider how to deliver best care. This will involve adapting to the new working environment, and optimising care delivery using remote technologies where appropriate, in a way that is safe, accessible and acceptable to service users.
COVID-19: Studying dissociative experiences in a confined sample of tunisian people
Authors: Baklouti E. , Larnaout A. , Souabni K. , Lansari R. , Melki W. 
Published: February 2022

IntroductionDissociative experiences have been studied in different circumstances.ObjectivesIn this study we aim to analyze dissociative phenomena under a stress factor: lockdown.MethodsWe conducted a cross sectional-study, using an online survey, spread during lockdown period in Tunisia, between the 2nd and the 8th of April. It was comprised of sociodemographic, geographic, medical history, confinement status and DES-II questionnaire in its french version. Age superior than 18 was the only inclusion criteria and the no respect of lockdown was the exclusion criteria. Based on former studies on DES-II, 3 sub scores have been assessed; amnesia (measures memory loss), depersonalization (sense of unreality of the self
) and absorption (the absorption has to do with one’s traumatic experiences).ResultsWe recruited 167 individuals; 100 women and 67 men. The most common age class was 20 to 30 years old (60.5% of the sample). The Mean total score was 11.06 which was higher than mentioned in earlier studies. The mean score was 15,11 for absorption; 5,28 for amnesia and 6,88 for depersonalization subscale. Significant differences in scores were found based on different variables. Women had higher absorption score (p=0.011). Besides people living in COVID-19 clusters had lower total score (p=0.038). Finally, people with somatic medical history showed higher total score (p=0.013), absorption score (p=0.003) and depersonalization score (p=0.012) compared to those with none.ConclusionsDuring lockdown, dissociative experiences showed to be more frequent. But does this mean that a resurgence in PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) or ASD (acute stress disorder) in the months to come.