Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 433 in total

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  1. Cheah YK, Kee CC, Lim KH, Omar MA
    Pediatr Neonatol, 2021 11;62(6):628-637.
    PMID: 34353744 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2021.05.025
    BACKGROUND: Mental health disorders are highly correlated with risk behaviors. The objective of the present study is to examine the relationship between risk behaviors and mental health among school-going students with a focus on ethnic minorities.

    METHODS: The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2017 (n = 8230) was used for analyses. It was a nationwide survey conducted in Malaysia. The dependent variables were measured by three risk behaviors (cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and use of illicit drugs). Probit regressions were utilized to examine the effect of mental health on the probability of smoking, drinking and using illicit drugs. Demographic and lifestyle factors were used as the control variables. Truancy was identified as a mediating variable.

    RESULTS: Anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation affected cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and use of illicit drugs through mediation of truancy. After controlling for demographic and lifestyle factors, students with anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation were more likely to smoke, drink and use illicit drugs compared with their peers without any mental health disorders. Furthermore, the likelihood of consuming cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs was found to be higher among students who played truant than those who did not.

    CONCLUSION: Mental health plays an important role in determining participation in risk behaviors among ethnic minority students in Malaysia. Public health administrators and schools have to be aware that students who suffer from mental health disorders are likely to indulge in risk behaviors.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health*
  2. Cheah YK, Zainuddin NH, Kee CC, Lim KH, Omar MA, Cheong YL
    Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry, 2023 Oct;28(4):1341-1357.
    PMID: 36428238 DOI: 10.1177/13591045221142497
    Sexual behaviour and mental health among adolescents are major public health issues. This study examines how lifestyles affect sexual behaviour among school-going adolescents in Malaysia, and the potential mediational role of mental health. It is the first to our knowledge to explore the mediating effect of mental health on sexual behaviour with a focus on a fast-growing developing country. Data were obtained from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2017 (n = 27,497). Structural equation modelling was utilized to examine depression and anxiety as mediators of the relationships between sexual behaviour and smoking, alcohol drinking and illicit drug use, controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results showed that adolescents who smoked, consumed alcohol, used illicit drugs, and had depression and anxiety were more likely to engage in sexual behaviour than others. Depression and anxiety partially mediated the relationships between sexual behaviour and smoking, and illicit drug use. The association between alcohol drinking and sexual behaviour was fully mediated by depression and anxiety. In conclusion, lifestyles may affect sexual behaviour through mediation of mental health. Therefore, policymakers should take mental health factors into consideration when designing adolescent sexual behaviour preventative interventions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  3. Cheah, Y.K., Azahadi, M., Phang, S.N., Abd Manaf, N.H.
    JUMMEC, 2019;22(1):33-40.
    MyJurnal
    Background: Depression is a serious mental health illness worldwide. The purpose of the study was to
    investigate the relationships between depression and its risk factors of sociodemography, lifestyle, and health
    among the adults of the different ethnic groups in Malaysia.

    Method: A nationwide database with 10141 observations was used. Multivariable logistic regression analyses
    stratified by ethnicity were estimated.

    Results: Ethnicity and gender, age, education, marital status and self-rated health were correlated to the
    likelihood of having depression. Malay females and smokers (AOR: 2.083) were more likely to suffer from
    depression than Malay males (AOR: 0.305) and non-smokers. Higher-income Chinese displayed higher odds of
    having depression than lower-income Chinese (AOR: 1.009). Indians and others with secondary-level education
    displayed a lower likelihood of developing depression compared to those with primary-level education (AOR:
    0.587).

    Conclusion: This study could contribute significantly to the formulation and development of an effective
    policy directed towards reducing the prevalence of depression in the vulnerable. These were the adults, in
    the younger age group, with lower education, with self-rated poor health, being female, unmarried, Malay
    and Chinese, and Indians and others. A nationwide policy targeted towards the Malay females to reduce
    their depression, with attention to the Chinese with a high income, and to the Indians and others with poor
    educational background to improve their knowledge of mental health, would be worthy of consideration.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  4. Chee KY, Salina AA
    Med J Malaysia, 2014 Aug;69 Suppl A:46-54.
    PMID: 25417951 MyJurnal
    Research in schizophrenia has advanced tremendously. One hundred and seventy five articles related to Schizophrenia were found from a search through a database dedicated to indexing all original data relevant to medicine published in Malaysia between the years 2000-2013. This project aims to examine published research articles, in local and international journals in order to provide a glimpse of the research interest in Malaysia with regards to schizophrenia. Single case study, case series report, reviews and registry reports were not included in this review. Medication trial, unless it concerned a wider scope of psychopharmacology was also excluded from this review. A total of 105 articles were included in this review. Despite numerous genetics studies conducted and published, a definitive conclusion on the aetiology or mechanism underlying schizophrenia remains elusive. The National Mental Health - Schizophrenia Registry (NMHR) proved to be an important platform for many studies and publications. Studies stemmed from NMHR have provided significant insight into the baseline characteristic of patients with schizophrenia, pathway to care, and outcomes of the illness. International and regional collaborations have also encouraged important work involving stigma and discrimination in schizophrenia. Ministry of Health's hospitals (MOH) are the main research sites in the country with regards to schizophrenia research. Numbers of schizophrenia research are still low in relation to the number of universities and hospitals in the country. Some of the weaknesses include duplication of studies, over-emphasising clinical trials and ignoring basic clinical research, and the lack of publications in international and regional journals.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  5. Chen Y, Yu X, Ma'rof AA, Zaremohzzabieh Z, Abdullah H, Halimatusaadiah Hamsan H, et al.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Dec 11;19(24).
    PMID: 36554527 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416645
    (1) Background: The present study investigated the relationships between social identity, core self-evaluation, school adaptation, and mental health problems in migrant children, and the mechanism underlying these relationships; (2) Methods: The participants were migrant middle school students in China. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26. A survey comprising the social identity scale, core self-evaluation scale, school adaptation scale, and mental health scale MMHI-60 was deployed; (3) Results: Findings indicated a significant and negative association between social identity and mental health problems, and such an association was sequentially mediated by core self-evaluation and school adaptation. Furthermore, core self-evaluation and school adaptation played a chain mediation role between social identity and migrant children's mental health problems; (4) Conclusions: It is crucial to improve social identity, core self-evaluation, and school adaptation to reduce mental health problems among this population. Therefore, the research results provide a new direction for promoting the development of mental health education for migrant workers and their children in China.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health*
  6. Chin H, Song H, Baek G, Shin M, Jung C, Cha M, et al.
    J Med Internet Res, 2023 Oct 20;25:e51712.
    PMID: 37862063 DOI: 10.2196/51712
    BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence chatbot research has focused on technical advances in natural language processing and validating the effectiveness of human-machine conversations in specific settings. However, real-world chat data remain proprietary and unexplored despite their growing popularity, and new analyses of chatbot uses and their effects on mitigating negative moods are urgently needed.

    OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated whether and how artificial intelligence chatbots facilitate the expression of user emotions, specifically sadness and depression. We also examined cultural differences in the expression of depressive moods among users in Western and Eastern countries.

    METHODS: This study used SimSimi, a global open-domain social chatbot, to analyze 152,783 conversation utterances containing the terms "depress" and "sad" in 3 Western countries (Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and 5 Eastern countries (Indonesia, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand). Study 1 reports new findings on the cultural differences in how people talk about depression and sadness to chatbots based on Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count and n-gram analyses. In study 2, we classified chat conversations into predefined topics using semisupervised classification techniques to better understand the types of depressive moods prevalent in chats. We then identified the distinguishing features of chat-based depressive discourse data and the disparity between Eastern and Western users.

    RESULTS: Our data revealed intriguing cultural differences. Chatbot users in Eastern countries indicated stronger emotions about depression than users in Western countries (positive: Pmental health (Pmental health support, emphasizing the importance of continued technical and policy-wise efforts to improve chatbot interactions for those in need of emotional assistance. Our data indicate the possibility of chatbots providing helpful information about depressive moods, especially for users who have difficulty communicating emotions to other humans.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health*
  7. Chin Lee Mei @ Mary Tan, Mohd Dahlan A. Malek, Ismail Maakip
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Nursing is a highly stressful profession that affects the nurses’ physical and mental health. To maintain the quality of health services, nurses must have physically and mentally healthy. Given this, the present study aimed to examine the level of Stress and Psychological Well-Being among nurses and the methods used by nurses to cope with them. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess psychological well-being and coping strat- egies with stress which include Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being (RPWB), Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOCQ) and Nursing Stress Scales (NSS) for the data collection on 637 nurses in nine hospitals in Sabah. Results: The results revealed that the main Sources of Stress among nurses was Conflict with Other Nurses. Also, Purpose in Life was found to have the highest mean score in terms of psychological well-being among nurses. Furthermore, Positive Re- appraisal was found to be employed by nurses in dealing with stress. The study also revealed there was relationship between the sources of stress and the psychological well-being among nurses. Conclusion: Thus, to reduce work stress among nurses, hospital administration should keep themselves aware of the work dynamics and address the negative conflict occurred in nurses as soon as it is recognized. Recognizing the impact of work stress and using the technique of coping plays a vital role in minimizing the stress of nurses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  8. Ching SM, Ng KY, Lee KW, Yee A, Lim PY, Ranita H, et al.
    PLoS One, 2021;16(10):e0257983.
    PMID: 34648526 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257983
    INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating effect on the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare providers (HCPs) globally. This review is aimed at determining the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, fear, burnout and resilience and its associated factors among HCPs in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed literature search using 4 databases from Medline, Cinahl, PubMed and Scopus from inception up to March 15, 2021 and selected relevant cross-sectional studies. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plot. Random effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence while risk factors were reported in odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI.

    RESULTS: We included 148 studies with 159,194 HCPs and the pooled prevalence for depression was 37.5% (95%CI: 33.8-41.3), anxiety 39.7(95%CI: 34.3-45.1), stress 36.4% (95%CI: 23.2-49.7), fear 71.3% (95%CI: 54.6-88.0), burnout 68.3% (95%CI: 54.0-82.5), and low resilience was 16.1% (95%CI: 12.8-19.4), respectively. The heterogeneity was high (I2>99.4%). Meta-analysis reported that both females (OR = 1.48; 95% CI = 1.30-1.68) and nurses (OR = 1.21; 95%CI = 1.02-1.45) were at increased risk of having depression and anxiety [(Female: OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.49-1.85), (Nurse: OR = 1.36; 95%CI = 1.16-1.58)]. Females were at increased risk of getting stress (OR = 1.59; 95%CI = 1.28-1.97).

    CONCLUSION: In conclusion, one third of HCPs suffered from depression, anxiety and stress and more than two third of HCPs suffered from fear and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health*
  9. Chong HY, Teoh SL, Wu DB, Kotirum S, Chiou CF, Chaiyakunapruk N
    Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat, 2016;12:357-73.
    PMID: 26937191 DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S96649
    BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is one of the top 25 leading causes of disability worldwide in 2013. Despite its low prevalence, its health, social, and economic burden has been tremendous, not only for patients but also for families, caregivers, and the wider society. The magnitude of disease burden investigated in an economic burden study is an important source to policymakers in decision making. This study aims to systematically identify studies focusing on the economic burden of schizophrenia, describe the methods and data sources used, and summarize the findings of economic burden of schizophrenia.

    METHODS: A systematic review was performed for economic burden studies in schizophrenia using four electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and EconLit) from inception to August 31, 2014.

    RESULTS: A total of 56 articles were included in this review. More than 80% of the studies were conducted in high-income countries. Most studies had undertaken a retrospective- and prevalence-based study design. The bottom-up approach was commonly employed to determine cost, while human capital method was used for indirect cost estimation. Database and literature were the most commonly used data sources in cost estimation in high-income countries, while chart review and interview were the main data sources in low and middle-income countries. Annual costs for the schizophrenia population in the country ranged from US$94 million to US$102 billion. Indirect costs contributed to 50%-85% of the total costs associated with schizophrenia. The economic burden of schizophrenia was estimated to range from 0.02% to 1.65% of the gross domestic product.

    CONCLUSION: The enormous economic burden in schizophrenia is suggestive of the inadequate provision of health care services to these patients. An informed decision is achievable with the increasing recognition among public and policymakers that schizophrenia is burdensome. This results in better resource allocation and the development of policy-oriented research for this highly disabling yet under-recognized mental health disease.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  10. Choo WY, Hairi NN, Sooryanarayana R, Yunus RM, Hairi FM, Ismail N, et al.
    BMJ Open, 2016 05 25;6(5):e011057.
    PMID: 27225651 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011057
    INTRODUCTION: Despite being now recognised as a global health concern, there is still an inadequate amount of research into elder mistreatment, especially in low and middle-income regions. The purpose of this paper is to report on the design and methodology of a population-based cohort study on elder mistreatment among the older Malaysian population. The study aims at gathering data and evidence to estimate the prevalence and incidence of elder mistreatment, identify its individual, familial and social determinants, and quantify its health consequences.

    METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a community-based prospective cohort study using randomly selected households from the national census. A multistage sampling method was employed to obtain a total of 2496 older adults living in the rural Kuala Pilah district. The study is divided into two phases: cross-sectional study (baseline), and a longitudinal follow-up study at the third and fifth years. Elder mistreatment was measured using instrument derived from the previous literature and modified Conflict Tactic Scales. Outcomes of elder mistreatment include mortality, physical function, mental health, quality of life and health utilisation. Logistic regression models are used to examine the relationship between risk factors and abuse estimates. Cox proportional hazard regression will be used to estimate risk of mortality associated with abuse. Associated annual rate of hospitalisation and health visit frequency, and reporting of abuse, will be estimated using Poisson regression.

    ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the University of Malaya Medical Center (MEC Ref 902.2) and the Malaysian National Medical Research Register (NMRR-12-1444-11726). Written consent was obtained from all respondents prior to baseline assessment and subsequent follow-up. Findings will be disseminated to local stakeholders via forums with community leaders, and health and social welfare departments, and published in appropriate scientific journals and presented at conferences.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  11. Choudhry FR, Khan TM, Park MS, Golden KJ
    Front Public Health, 2018;6:187.
    PMID: 30065918 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00187
    The Kalasha are a religious, ethnic, and linguistic minority community in Pakistan. They are indigenous people living in remote valleys of the Hindu Kush Mountains in northern Pakistan, neighboring Afghanistan. The Kalasha are pastoral, as well as agricultural people to some extent, although they are increasingly facing pressures from globalization and social change, which may be influencing youth and community development. Their traditional world view dichotomizes and emphasizes on the division of the pure (Onjeshta) and the impure (Pragata). There remains a scarcity of literature on mental health and resilience of indigenous communities in South Asia and Pakistan generally, and the polytheistic Kalasha community specifically. Thus, the current study was conducted with the aim to explore the cultural protective factors (resilience) of the Kalasha youth (adolescents and emerging adults) and to explore their perceived etiological understandings and preferred interventions for mental health support systems. The theoretical framework of Bronfenbrenner's (1, 2) ecological systems model was used. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted, considering the advantage of its idiographic approach and the "double hermeneutic" analytic process. This methodology was consistent with the aim to understand and make sense of mental health and resilience from the Kalasha indigenous perspective. A total of 12 in-depth interviews were conducted with adolescents and emerging adults (5 males, 7 females), along with ethnographic observations. The analysis revealed 3 superordinate themes of mental health perceptions and interventions, each with more specific emergent themes: (1) Psychological Resilience/Cultural Protective Factors Buffering Against Mental Health Problems (Intra-Communal Bonding & Sharing; Kalasha Festivals & Traditions; Purity Concept; Behavioral Practice of Happiness and Cognitive Patterns); (2) Perceived Causes of Mental Health Issues (Biological & Psychosocial; Supernatural & Spiritual; Environmental); and (3) Preferred Interventions [Shamanic Treatment; Ta'awiz (Amulets); Communal Sharing & Problem Solving; Medical Treatment; Herbal Methods]. The overall findings point to the need for developing culturally-sensitive and indigenous measures and therapeutic interventions. The findings highlighted the Kalasha cultural practices which may promote resilience. The findings also call for indigenous sources of knowledge to be considered when collaboratively designing public health programs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  12. Chu AH, Koh D, Moy FM, Müller-Riemenschneider F
    Occup Med (Lond), 2014 Jun;64(4):235-45.
    PMID: 24850815 DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqu045
    Mental health is an important issue in the working population. Interventions to improve mental health have included physical activity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health*
  13. Dahlan R, Midin M, Shah SA, Nik Jaafar NR, Abdul Rahman FN, Baharudin A, et al.
    Compr Psychiatry, 2014 Jan;55 Suppl 1:S46-51.
    PMID: 23679983 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.03.007
    The study aimed to determine the rates of functional remission and employment as well as the factors associated with functional remission among patients with Schizophrenia, receiving community psychiatric service in an urban setting in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Community Mental Health Services
  14. Dai H, Zhang SX, Looi KH, Su R, Li J
    PMID: 32751459 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17155498
    Research identifying adults' mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic relies solely on demographic predictors without examining adults' health condition as a potential predictor. This study aims to examine individuals' perception of health conditions and test availability as potential predictors of mental health-insomnia, anxiety, depression, and distress-during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey of 669 adults in Malaysia was conducted during 2-8 May 2020, six weeks after the Movement Control Order (MCO) was issued. We found adults' perception of health conditions had curvilinear relationships (horizontally reversed J-shaped) with insomnia, anxiety, depression, and distress. Perceived test availability for COVID-19 also had curvilinear relationships (horizontally reversed J-shaped) with anxiety and depression. Younger adults reported worse mental health, but people from various religions and ethnic groups did not differ significantly in reported mental health. The results indicated that adults with worse health conditions had more mental health problems, and the worse degree deepened for unhealthy people. Perceived test availability negatively predicted anxiety and depression, especially for adults perceiving COVID-19 test unavailability. The significant predictions of perceived health condition and perceived COVID-19 test availability suggest a new direction for the literature to identify the psychiatric risk factors directly from health-related variables during a pandemic.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health*
  15. Davenport CJ, Swami V
    J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs, 2023 Feb;30(1):1-7.
    PMID: 35757849 DOI: 10.1111/jpm.12854
    WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUBJECT?: A significant proportion of fathers report experiencing depression after their baby is born Fathers are not offered regular support for their psychological well-being in the transition to parenthood despite an acknowledged need for such support WHAT DOES THE PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Lived experience provides new insight into how one father experienced postnatal depression, including the role of his partner in help-seeking It explains the delayed presentation in help-seeking as resulting from healthcare practitioner language and attitudes, and gendered expectations around mental health and help-seeking in the context of fatherhood WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH NURSING?: Mental health nurses should be aware that postnatal depression can affect fathers as well as mothers, and that it is necessary to support fathers in safe spaces and with appropriate language Planning care for depression in men should consider the recent birth of a child in order to provide effective care Clearer guidance is needed for supporting new fathers with postnatal depression ABSTRACT: Introduction Fathers are not universally supported with their perinatal mental health, but evidence shows that they suffer at a similar level to mothers. Aim This paper examines the journey of one father through his PND experience, his help seeking, and encounters in healthcare, in order to highlight the needs of a depressed father. Method The method is a father's lived experience narrative which has been written alongside a health visitor who highlights the relevance of the condition to healthcare practice. Results & Discussion The needs of fathers are unmet. They require support which considers their gender role expectations. Partners are key to their help seeking. Implications for practice The language and sensitivity used by nurses is key to encouraging fathers to share their depression and reduce stigma around the condition.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  16. Deverell L, Bhowmik J, Lau BT, Al Mahmud A, Sukunesan S, Islam FMA, et al.
    PMID: 32643468 DOI: 10.1080/17483107.2020.1785565
    PURPOSE: Orientation and Mobility (O&M) professionals teach people with low vision or blindness to use specialist assistive technologies to support confident travel, but many O&M clients now prefer a smartphone. This study aimed to investigate what technology O&M professionals in Australia and Malaysia have, use, like, and want to support their client work, to inform the development of O&M technologies and build capacity in the international O&M profession.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A technology survey was completed by professionals (n = 36) attending O&M workshops in Malaysia. A revised survey was completed online by O&M specialists (n = 31) primarily in Australia. Qualitative data about technology use came from conferences, workshops and interviews with O&M professionals. Descriptive statistics were analysed together with free-text data.

    RESULTS: Limited awareness of apps used by clients, unaffordability of devices, and inadequate technology training discouraged many O&M professionals from employing existing technologies in client programmes or for broader professional purposes. Professionals needed to learn smartphone accessibility features and travel-related apps, and ways to use technology during O&M client programmes, initial professional training, ongoing professional development and research.

    CONCLUSIONS: Smartphones are now integral to travel with low vision or blindness and early-adopter O&M clients are the travel tech-experts. O&M professionals need better initial training and then regular upskilling in mainstream O&M technologies to expand clients' travel choices. COVID-19 has created an imperative for technology laggards to upskill for O&M tele-practice. O&M technology could support comprehensive O&M specialist training and practice in Malaysia, to better serve O&M clients with complex needs.Implications for rehabilitationMost orientation and mobility (O&M) clients are travelling with a smartphone, so O&M specialists need to be abreast of mainstream technologies, accessibility features and apps used by clients for orientation, mobility, visual efficiency and social engagement.O&M specialists who are technology laggards need human-guided support to develop confidence in using travel technologies, and O&M clients are the experts. COVID-19 has created an imperative to learn skills for O&M tele-practice.Affordability is a significant barrier to O&M professionals and clients accessing specialist travel technologies in Malaysia, and to O&M professionals upgrading technology in Australia.Comprehensive training for O&M specialists is needed in Malaysia to meet the travel needs of clients with low vision or blindness who also have physical, cognitive, sensory or mental health complications.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  17. Dhar BK, Ayittey FK, Sarkar SM
    Glob Chall, 2020 Sep 28.
    PMID: 33042575 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202000038
    The purpose of the study is to find out the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students. The study focuses on the university students from different public and private universities of Bangladesh through a set of questionnaires according to the guideline of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). The result among 15 543 respondents shows that 44.59% are suffering from severe anxiety, 48.41% moderate anxiety, and only 3.82% mild anxiety. The results highlight that all epidemic-related stressors are positively correlated with the level of anxiety. Among the epidemic-related stressors, worry about economic influences during and after COVID-19 (r = 0.342, p < 0.001) and worry about the influence of COVID-19 on daily life (r = 0.340, p < 0.001) have a highly positive impact on the level of anxiety. Following these stressors, worry about academic delays due to COVID-19 (r = 0.326, p < 0.001) and worry about the social support during COVID-19 (r = 0.321, p < 0.001) have moderately and positively correlated with the level of anxiety. The study suggests that proper government support, as well as social awareness, should be monitored during epidemics for decreasing anxiety and maintaining a good mental health of the university students.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  18. Ding K, Yang J, Chin MK, Sullivan L, Demirhan G, Violant-Holz V, et al.
    PMID: 33800008 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18052686
    Despite the global impact of COVID-19, studies comparing the effects of COVID-19 on population mental health across countries are sparse. This study aimed to compare anxiety and depression symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown among adults from 11 countries and to examine their associations with country-level COVID-19 factors and personal COVID-19 exposure. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults (≥18 years) in 11 countries (Brazil, Bulgaria, China, India, Ireland, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, United States). Mental health (anxiety, depression, resilient coping, hope) and other study data were collected between June-August 2020. Of the 13,263 participants, 62.8% were female and 51.7% were 18-34 years old. Participants living in Brazil had the highest anxiety and depression symptoms while participants living in Singapore had the lowest. Greater personal COVID-19 exposure was associated with increased anxiety and depression symptoms, but country-level COVID-19 factors were not. Higher levels of hope were associated with reduced anxiety and depression; higher levels of resilient coping were associated with reduced anxiety but not depression. Substantial variations exist in anxiety and depression symptoms across countries during the COVID-19 lockdown, with personal COVID-19 exposure being a significant risk factor. Strategies that mitigate COVID-19 exposure and enhance hope and resilience may reduce anxiety and depression during global emergencies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  19. Dowrick C, Kassai R, Lam CLK, Lam RW, Manning G, Murphy J, et al.
    J Multidiscip Healthc, 2020;13:1693-1704.
    PMID: 33268991 DOI: 10.2147/JMDH.S271070
    Mental ill health affects individual well-being and national economic prosperity and makes up a substantial portion of the burden of disease globally, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Integrating mental health into primary care is widely considered a key strategy to improve access to mental health care. Integration, however, is a complex process that needs to be addressed at multiple levels. A collaboration between the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Hub for Mental Health and the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) is described in this paper, which outlines a framework and next steps to improve the mental health of communities in APEC economies. This paper notes gaps related to the integration of mental health into primary care across the region and identifies enablers and current best practices from several APEC economies. The potential of digital technology to benefit primary mental health care for populations in the APEC region, including delivery of training programs for healthcare staff and access to resources for patients, is described. Finally, key next steps are proposed to promote enhanced integration into primary care and improve mental health care throughout the APEC region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health
  20. Edhborg M, Nasreen HE, Kabir ZN
    PMID: 25595913 DOI: 10.3402/qhw.v10.26226
    Over recent years, researchers have found evidence which indicates that the prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms crosses cultural boundaries and is reported to be at least as high in non-Western countries as in Western countries. However, qualitative studies about new mothers' experiences from non-Western countries, such as Bangladesh, are rare, particularly in rural areas. This study aims to describe the experiences and concerns of rural Bangladeshi mothers with postpartum depressive symptoms. Open narrative interviews were conducted with 21 mothers with depressive symptoms 2-3 months postpartum, consecutively selected from a longitudinal study about prevalence and risk factors of perinatal depressive symptoms. Inductive content analysis was used to analyse data and three themes emerged: family dynamics, living at the limits of survival, and role of the cultural context after childbirth. These themes were based on six categories and 15 subcategories. The findings show that troublesome family relationships, including intimate partner violence and violence in the family, influenced the mothers' mental well-being. They and their families lived at the limit of survival and the mothers expressed fear and worries about their insecure situation regarding economic difficulties and health problems. They felt sorry for being unable to give their infants a good start in life and sad because they could not always follow the traditional norms related to childbirth. Thus, it is important to focus on the depressive symptoms among new mothers and offer counselling to those showing depressive symptoms, as the cultural traditions do not always alleviate these symptoms in the changing Bangladeshi society today.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health*
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