COVID-19 and mental health: A review of the existing literature.

Background COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to significantly affect the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs), who stand in the frontline of this crisis. It is, therefore, an immediate priority to monitor rates of mood, sleep and other mental health issues in order to understand mediating factors and inform tailored interventions. The aim of this review is to synthesize and analyze existing evidence on the prevalence of depression, anxiety and insomnia among HCWs during the Covid-19 outbreak. Methods A systematic search of literature databases was conducted up to April 17th, 2020. Two reviewers independently assessed full-text articles according to predefined criteria. Risk of bias for each individual study was assessed and data pooled using random-effects meta-analyses to estimate the prevalence of specific mental health problems. The review protocol is registered in PROSPERO and is available online. Findings Thirteen studies were included in the analysis with a combined total of 33,062 participants. Anxiety was assessed in 12 studies, with a pooled prevalence of 23·2% and depression in 10 studies, with a prevalence rate of 22·8%. A subgroup analysis revealed gender and occupational differences with female HCPs and nurses exhibiting higher rates of affective symptoms compared to male and medical staff respectively. Finally, insomnia prevalence was estimated at 38·9% across 5 studies. Interpretation Early evidence suggests that a considerable proportion of HCWs experience mood and sleep disturbances during this outbreak, stressing the need to establish ways to mitigate mental health risks and adjust interventions under pandemic conditions.

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Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic general medical complications have received the most attention, whereas only few studies address the potential direct effect on mental health of SARS-CoV-2 and the neurotropic potential. Furthermore, the indirect effects of the pandemic on general mental health are of increasing concern, particularly since the SARS-CoV-1 epidemic (2002–2003) was associated with psychiatric complications.

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COVID-19 pandemic and mental health consequences: Systematic review of the current evidence.

Definition: To what extent does the study allow us to draw conclusions about a causal effect between two or more constructs? Issues: Selection, maturation, history, mortality, testing, regression towrd the mean, selection by maturation, treatment by mortality, treatment by testing, measured treatment variables Increase: Eliminate the threats, above all do experimental manipulations, random assignment, and counterbalancing.

Reliability and validity

Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease emerged in China in late 2019-early 2020 and spread rapidly. China has been implementing emergency psychological crisis interventions to reduce the negative psychosocial impact on public mental health, but challenges exist. Public mental health interventions should be formally integrated into public health preparedness and emergency response plans.

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Public Mental Health Crisis during COVID-19 Pandemic, China.

Psychological symptoms among frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan.

BACKGROUND Medical mistrust, a result of systemic racism, is prevalent among Black Americans and may play a role in COVID-19 inequities. In a convenience sample of HIV-positive Black Americans, we examined associations of COVID-19-related medical mistrust with COVID-19 vaccine and COVID-19 treatment hesitancy and negative impacts of COVID-19 on antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. METHODS Participants were 101 HIV-positive Black Americans (age: M = 50.3 years; SD = 11.5; 86% cisgender men; 77% sexual minority) enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a community-based ART adherence intervention in Los Angeles County, CA. From May to July 2020, participants completed telephone interviews on negative COVID-19 impacts, general COVID-19 mistrust (eg, about the government withholding information), COVID-19 vaccine and treatment hesitancy, and trust in COVID-19 information sources. Adherence was monitored electronically with the Medication Event Monitoring System. RESULTS Nearly all participants (97%) endorsed at least one general COVID-19 mistrust belief, and more than half endorsed at least one COVID-19 vaccine or treatment hesitancy belief. Social service and health care providers were the most trusted sources. Greater COVID-19 mistrust was related to greater vaccine and treatment hesitancy [b (SE) = 0.85 (0.14), P < 0.0001 and b (SE) = 0.88 (0.14), P < 0.0001, respectively]. Participants experiencing more negative COVID-19 impacts showed lower ART adherence, assessed among a subset of 49 participants [b (SE) = -5.19 (2.08), P = 0.02]. DISCUSSION To prevent widening health inequities, health care providers should engage with communities to tailor strategies to overcome mistrust and deliver evidence-based information, to encourage COVID-19 vaccine and treatment uptake.

COVID-19 Related Medical Mistrust, Health Impacts, and Potential Vaccine Hesitancy Among Black Americans Living with HIV.

Objective To determine whether an intervention to reduce eveningness chronotype improves sleep, circadian, and health (emotional, cognitive, behavioral, social, physical) outcomes. Method Youth aged 10 to 18 years with an evening chronotype and who were “at risk” in 1 of 5 health domains were randomized to: (a) Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention for Youth (TranS-C; n = 89) or (b) Psychoeducation (PE; n = 87) at a university-based clinic. Treatments were 6 individual, weekly 50-minute sessions during the school year. TranS-C addresses sleep and circadian problems experienced by youth by integrating evidence-based treatments derived from basic research. PE provides education on the interrelationship between sleep, stress, diet, and health. Results Relative to PE, TranS-C was not associated with greater pre−post change for total sleep time (TST) or bed time (BT) on weeknights but was associated with greater reduction in evening circadian preference (pre−post increase of 3.89 points, 95% CI = 2.94−4.85, for TranS-C, and 2.01 points, 95% CI = 1.05−2.97 for PE, p = 0.006), earlier endogenous circadian phase, less weeknight−weekend discrepancy in TST and wakeup time, less daytime sleepiness, and better self-reported sleep via youth and parent report. In terms of functioning in the five health domains, relative to PE, TranS-C was not associated with greater pre−post change on the primary outcome. However, there were significant interactions favoring TranS-C on the Parent-Reported Composite Risk Scores for cognitive health. Conclusion For at-risk youth, the evidence supports the use of TranS-C over PE for improving sleep and circadian functioning, and improving health on selected outcomes. Clinical trial registration information: Triple Vulnerability? Circadian Tendency, Sleep Deprivation and Adolescence. https://clinicaltrials.gov ; NCT01828320 .

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Lu Dong

Papers

Public Mental Health Crisis during COVID-19 Pandemic, China.

Psychological symptoms among frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan.

COVID-19 Related Medical Mistrust, Health Impacts, and Potential Vaccine Hesitancy Among Black Americans Living with HIV.

Modifying the Impact of Eveningness Chronotype ("Night-Owls") in Youth: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

A composite measure of sleep health predicts concurrent mental and physical health outcomes in adolescents prone to eveningness.