The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has surprised health authorities around the world producing a global health crisis. This research discusses the main psychosocial stressors associated with COVID-19 in the literature, and the responses of global public mental health services to these events. Thus, a consensus and critical review were performed using both primary sources, such as scientific articles and secondary ones, such as bibliographic indexes, web pages, and databases. The main search engines were PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar. The method was a systematic literature review (SLR) of the available literature regarding mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic to conduct the present narrative review. Different stressors are identified in this pandemic, from psychophysiological, confinement, to social and work. Depending on the level of severity and the country of origin, various interventions have been applied that mark different ways of returning to normality and preparing new interventions. This new stressor has a direct impact on the mental health of the population, provoking governments, and health services to become more flexible, innovate and adapt to the changing situation. The use of technology and mass media could be an important tool in this aim. Independent of this, preparing the general population for possible future waves of the pandemic is currently the best measure to mitigate more serious effects on the mental health of the population.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic in public mental health: an extensive narrative review

Background: Standard precautions prevent the spread of infections in healthcare settings. Incompliance with infection control guidelines of healthcare workers (HCWs) may increase their risk of exposure to infectious disease, especially under pandemics. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of compliance with the infection prevention and control practices among HCWs in different healthcare settings and its relationship with their views on workplace infection control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Nurses in Hong Kong were invited to respond to a cross-sectional online survey, in which their views on workplace infection and prevention policy, compliance with standard precautions and self-reported health during pandemics were collected. Results: The respondents were dissatisfied with workplace infection and prevention policy in terms of comprehensiveness (62%), clarity (64%), timeliness (63%), and transparency (60%). For the protective behavior, the respondents did not fully comply with the standard precautions when they were involved in medical care. Their compliance was relatively low when having proper patient handling (54%) and performing invasive procedures (46%). A multivariate analysis model proved that the level of compliance of the standard precautions was positively associated with the satisfaction on infection control and prevention policy among high risk group (0.020; 95% CI: 0.005-0.036), while older respondents had higher level of compliance among the inpatient and outpatient groups (coefficient range: 0.065-0.076). The higher level of compliance was also significantly associated with working in designated team and having chronic condition of the respondents among high-risk and inpatient groups. Conclusions: Standard precautions are the most important elements to reduce cross-transmission among HCWs and patients while the satisfaction on infection control and prevention policy would increase the compliance among the high-risk group. An overall suboptimal compliance and poor views on the infection prevention and control guidelines is a warning signal to healthcare system especially during pandemics.

/pdf/compliance-with-standard-precautions-and-its-relationship-1z6csqiqeo.pdf

Compliance with Standard Precautions and Its Relationship with Views on Infection Control and Prevention Policy among Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Factors that affect student engagement in online learning in health professions education.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine effects of a dietary program based on self-efficacy theory on dietary adherence, physical status and quality of life (QoL) in hemodialysis patients. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pre-post test design was used. The intervention group received the dietary program for 8 weeks from August 4 to September 26, 2014. The control group received only usual care. Results: ANCOVA showed that dietary adherence (F=64.75, p ＜.001) was significantly different between the two groups. Serum albumin (F=12.13, p =.001), interdialytic weight gain (F=56.97, p ＜.001), calories (F=15.80, p ＜.001) as physical status indices were significantly different, but serum potassium (F=2.69, p =.106) and serum phosphorus (F=1.08, p =.303) showed no significant difference between the two groups. In terms of health-related QoL, the physical component scale (F=10.05, p =.002) and the mental component scale (F=16.66, p ＜.001) were significantly different between the two groups. In addition, in terms of diet related QoL, diet level (F=35.33, p ＜.001) and satisfaction level (F=15.57, p ＜.001) were significantly different between the two groups, but dietary impact level (F=1.23, p =.271) was not significantly different. Conclusion: Findings show that the dietary program based on self-efficacy theory is an effective nursing intervention program to improve adherence to diet, and to maintain physical status and QoL for hemodialysis patients.

/pdf/effects-of-dietary-program-based-on-self-efficacy-theory-on-59bdiojmsr.pdf

[Effects of Dietary Program based on Self-efficacy Theory on Dietary Adherence, Physical Indices and Quality of Life for Hemodialysis Patients].

Mediating effects of self-directed learning on the relationship between critical thinking and problem-solving in student nurses attending online classes: A cross-sectional descriptive study

Problem-solving ability is necessary for the clinical reasoning and decision-making of nurses to solve patients’ health problems This study aims to investigate the association between self-directed learning and problem-solving ability using the multiple mediation model to identify strategies to enhance problem-solving ability in nursing students This is a descriptive survey study of 193 nursing students from two universities in South Korea Data about self-directed learning, self-regulated learning, academic self-efficacy, and problem-solving ability were collected using structured questionnaires between 5 March and 17 June 2018, and were analyzed using serial multiple mediation analysis The direct effect of self-directed learning on problem-solving ability was statistically significant The serial multiple mediation technique predicting problem-solving ability from self-directed learning, academic self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning was significant, explaining 40% of the variance in problem-solving ability The relationship between self-directed learning and problem-solving ability was partially mediated by academic self-efficacy and self-regulated learning This study suggests the suitability of considering academic self-efficacy and self-regulated learning together when conducting self-directed learning to improve nursing students’ problem-solving ability

The Relationship between Self-Directed Learning and Problem-Solving Ability: The Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulated Learning among Nursing Students

Health-promoting behaviors help prevent chronic illness. Health-promoting behaviors of nursing students can affect not only their own health, but also the health of their future patients, for whom they can act as role models. Nursing students should participate in health-promoting behaviors; however, nursing students often have unhealthy behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting health-promoting behaviors in nursing students. A descriptive, self-report survey of 304 nursing students from three universities in South Korea was conducted. Subjects’ general characteristics, health perceptions, health concerns, and health-promoting behaviors were collected. Of the total participants, 90.1% were female and the mean age was 20.4 years. The mean score for health-promoting behaviors was 2.47, higher than the midpoint. The mean for the subscale of physical activity among health-promoting behaviors was the lowest. The main factors affecting health-promoting behaviors were gender, health perceptions, health concern, and time per week spent searching online for health-related information. The main factors affecting physical activity were gender, health concern, and time per week spent searching online for health-related information. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that a program to empower nursing students to perform health-promoting behaviors be incorporated into the nursing education curriculum with regard to unique needs based on gender. Specifically, it would be effective to develop programs that are easily accessible via the Internet.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/17/6291/pdf

Factors Affecting Health-Promoting Behaviors among Nursing Students.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to provide an in-depth understanding and description of the disease experiences of COVID-19 patients. The participants were 16 patients discharged from hospitals after receiving treatment for COVID-19 in isolation. Data collection was conducted through individual in-depth interviews until data saturation, and the interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. The participants were quarantined after their COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed, and they experienced desperate and uncertain times during treatment. The participants expressed shock and dissatisfaction due to an excessive invasion of privacy during the quarantine process and in the quarantine system. As confirmed COVID-19 cases, the participants experienced social stigma and feelings of guilt, negative attitudes from others and society, and negative influences from social networking services and the media. The participants also experienced mental and physical difficulties due to COVID-19 symptoms. However, they rediscovered meaningful relationships through the support of their family and friends in the midst of adversity. It is necessary to provide an integrated psychosocial rehabilitation program to reduce social stigma and improve the resilience of COVID-19 patients.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/14/7419/pdf

The Lived Experiences of COVID-19 Patients in South Korea: A Qualitative Study.

Although healthcare-associated infection is preventable, low compliance with infection prevention and control practices has been a significant issue for hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, perceived safe environment, and compliance of clinical nurses and to identify the factors contributing to compliance with infection prevention and control practices. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 197 nurses who worked in university hospitals in Korea. Data were collected using a self-administrated questionnaire. Nurses correctly answered 67.4% of the questions regarding infection prevention and control knowledge, with the lowest correct scores (55%) related to multidrug-resistant organisms. Nurses demonstrated favorable attitudes toward infection prevention and control (6.5 of 8) and favorable perceptions regarding safe environment (7.75 of 9). The overall compliance score was 87.41 of 100. Nurses' attitudes, perceived safe environment, and period of clinical experience had significant positive contributions to compliance. Among employment departments, the intensive care unit was associated with higher compliance. Our findings indicate that institutional support for safe environments should be combined with ongoing education for improving knowledge and attitudes of nurses, especially in general wards.

Factors contributing to clinical nurse compliance with infection prevention and control practices: A cross-sectional study

Purpose: This study was to develop and evaluate an individualized education program based on self-efficacy for patients with kidney transplantation in Korea. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The participants consisted of 43 patients who underwent kidney transplants at one hospital in Seoul, from July 2012 to April 2013. The experimental group received an individualized education based on self-efficacy in the hospital and follow-up telephone consultation in the 2nd and 3rd week after discharge. The control group received a routine discharge education. Knowledge, self-efficacy, and compliance related to kidney transplant were measured and analyzed by frequency, average, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test, and χ-test using SPSS Win 20.0. Results: Significant differences were found in self-efficacy between the experimental group and the control group. But no significant differences were found in knowledge and compliance between two groups. The scores of several items on monitoring health status in compliance were higher in the experimental group than those of the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the fact that an education program based in self-efficacy for patients with kidney transplant would be effective in improving self-efficacy and the ability to monitor their health status.

Younghui Hwang

Papers

The Relationship between Self-Directed Learning and Problem-Solving Ability: The Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulated Learning among Nursing Students

Factors Affecting Health-Promoting Behaviors among Nursing Students.

The Lived Experiences of COVID-19 Patients in South Korea: A Qualitative Study.

Factors contributing to clinical nurse compliance with infection prevention and control practices: A cross-sectional study

Evaluation of an Individualized Education before Discharge and Follow-up Telephone Consultation on Self-efficacy for Kidney Transplant Patients