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Medicina
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The Burden of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health
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The Burden of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Psychiatry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2023) | Viewed by 13898

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Beatrice Gabriela Ioan

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Guest Editor
Legal-Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iasi, 700115 Iasi, Romania
Interests: bioethics; medical law; forensic medicine; medical malpractice; medical communication; violence against medical professionals; burnout in medical professionals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Sorin Hostiuc

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Guest Editor
Department of Legal Medicine and Bioethics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Carol Davila University” of Medicine and Pharmacy, RO-020021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: pathology; bioethics; sudden cardiac death; forensic; research ethics; telocytes; stem cells; organoids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has placed a great burden on healthcare systems around the world, causing significant mortality and morbidity. Nowadays, two years after the onset of the pandemic, there are still large numbers of patients dying from this disease, and even more suffering short- and long-term consequences, affecting almost all organs and systems.

COVID-19 has been repeatedly shown to generate neuropsychiatric disorders both directly—as it has been shown that the virus has substantial neuroinvasiveness, neurotropism and neurovirulence, causing numerous neurological complications during the acute and post-acute stages—and indirectly, through social isolation or increased anxiety. Large-scale studies have shown that COVID-19 increases the risk of anxiety disorders, intracranial haemorrhage, dementia, psychotic disorders, etc. In addition to the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, this field has also been affected by the limitations on access to mental health services and the problems generated by the scarcity of resources within healthcare systems.

Prompt identification and optimal management of these disorders may decrease the overall morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19. This aim can be achieved through inter- and trans-disciplinary collaborations between physicians of different specialties, such as psychologists, social workers, nurses, and so on.

In this Special Issue, we aim to gather original articles, reviews or case reports with an emphasis on the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. We also welcome articles that consider ethical, social and psychological issues relevant to the field of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prof. Dr. Beatrice Gabriela Ioan
Prof. Dr. Sorin Hostiuc
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Medicina is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • COVID-19 pandemic
  • mental health
  • treatment
  • access
  • ethics
  • social
  • psychology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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11 pages, 331 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Transition Shock, Professional Stressors, and Intent to Leave the Nursing Profession during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Dario Nakić, Ivana Gusar, Ivana Franov, Marijana Matek Sarić and Marija Ljubičić
Medicina 2023, 59(3), 468; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59030468 - 27 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3116
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Moving nurses to a COVID-19 department may cause the phenomenon of transition shock, which occurs when already employed nurses change jobs. A set of confusing and uncertain feelings arise due to the unfamiliar work environment, which may lead to their [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Moving nurses to a COVID-19 department may cause the phenomenon of transition shock, which occurs when already employed nurses change jobs. A set of confusing and uncertain feelings arise due to the unfamiliar work environment, which may lead to their intention to leave the nursing profession. The aim of this study was to examine transition shock and the contribution of both the respondents’ characteristics and the presence of stressors to the occurrence of transition shock in nurses assigned to work in COVID-19 departments. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study with 120 nurses employed in COVID-19 departments was conducted. Several linear regression models were used to assess the association between transition shock, personal and professional COVID-19 stressors, and the intention to leave the nursing profession. Results: Nurses who intended to leave the profession showed higher transition shock and higher personal and professional stressors (p < 0.001). Female nurses had lower transition shock (β = −0.16; p = 0.036) and higher personal COVID-19 stressors (β = 0.27; p < 0.001). University education contributes to the lowering of nurses’ transition shock (β = −0.16; p = 0.038). Nurses who did not intend to leave the nursing profession had lower personal COVID-19 stressors (β = −0.15; p = 0.044). Transition shock was associated with personal COVID-19 stressors (β = 0.39; p < 0.001) and professional COVID-19 stressors (β = 0.29; p < 0.001), and vice versa. Conclusions: The phenomenon of transition shock was present after nurses transitioned to working in COVID-19 departments. Transition shock may cause more nurses to leave the profession, which may have a strong impact on the health system in many countries that are already facing a shortage of nurses. Additional education on and preparation for adapting to new working conditions with psychological support could have an influence by lowering the level of nurses’ transition shock. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Burden of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health)
11 pages, 350 KiB  
Article
Factors Affecting Sleep Quality of College Students during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Mihyoung Kwon and Jihyun Oh
Medicina 2023, 59(2), 416; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59020416 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3695
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the correlation between college students’ fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), intolerance of uncertainty, and sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify factors affecting sleep quality. Materials and Methods: Data [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the correlation between college students’ fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), intolerance of uncertainty, and sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify factors affecting sleep quality. Materials and Methods: Data were collected through an online survey of 310 college students from three universities located in three regions in Korea. Results: The average sleep quality score of college students was 4.76 ± 2.86 points, the average fear of COVID-19 was 14.01 ± 5.05 points, and the average intolerance of uncertainty was 31.50 ± 7.92 points. Fear of COVID-19 and intolerance of uncertainty were positively correlated (r = 0.302, p < 0.001). Sleep quality was positively correlated with fear of COVID-19 (r = 0.246, p < 0.001). Sleep quality was positively correlated with intolerance of uncertainty (r = 0.212, p < 0.001). Health status was the most powerful factor that affected sleep quality (β = 0.377, p < 0.001). The next most powerful factors that affected sleep quality were fear of COVID-19 (β = 0.164, p = 0.003) and intolerance of uncertainty (β = 0.122, p = 0.027), respectively. Conclusions: These results are expected to be used as basic data for the development of health intervention programs to protect and improve the psychological well-being of college students by improving their sleep quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Burden of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health)
12 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Coping with Symptoms of Mental Health Disorders among University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Relation to Their Lifestyle Habits
by Tamara Jovanović and Aleksandar Višnjić
Medicina 2023, 59(1), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59010180 - 16 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2375
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The time of the pandemic brought great difficulties, both in state and interstate systems, industry, trade, and with individuals themselves. In addition, numerous studies have shown a drastic increase in mental disorders in people around the world. Therefore, the [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: The time of the pandemic brought great difficulties, both in state and interstate systems, industry, trade, and with individuals themselves. In addition, numerous studies have shown a drastic increase in mental disorders in people around the world. Therefore, the basic idea of our study was to investigate these disorders in university students in relation to their different lifestyles. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out at the University of Niš (Serbia) from December 2021 to February 2022. All of the participants were assessed by using appropriate questionnaires. The study included 1400 randomly selected students (692 females and 708 males). The statistical analysis of the data included the application of multiple regression analyses and correlation tests. Results: Statistical analysis indicates that extremely severe levels of depression symptoms were reported by 232 students (16.6%). Severe and extremely severe anxiety symptoms were reported by 480 students (34.3%). Multiple linear regression analysis found that for the increased depressive symptoms, the “most deserving” parameters were related to the consumption of alcoholic beverages and psychoactive substances (β = 0.10, and 0.11, respectively), compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic. For anxiety symptoms, the main role was played by alcohol consumption (β = 0.11) but also by the use of social networks as an adequate substitute for deprived content during the pandemic (β = 0.13). Alcohol consumption was the most “responsible” for elevated stress levels compared to the period before the pandemic (β = 0.19). Conclusions: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were drastically increased in the university students. There was significantly more frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages and psychoactive substances among them. That is why social support from a close environment is the most important strategy in coping with mental health issues during emergency situations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Burden of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health)

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10 pages, 348 KiB  
Brief Report
Dignity as a Central Issue in Treating Patients with Dementia Associated with COVID-19 Infection
by Sorin Hostiuc and Eduard Drima
Medicina 2023, 59(9), 1588; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59091588 - 1 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1318
Abstract
COVID-19 was initially considered a primary respiratory disorder associated with various short- and long-term complications, affecting many patients and imposing a significant burden. Patients who have dementia are especially vulnerable to the SARS-CoV2 infection, which is associated with an increased risk for neuropsychiatric [...] Read more.
COVID-19 was initially considered a primary respiratory disorder associated with various short- and long-term complications, affecting many patients and imposing a significant burden. Patients who have dementia are especially vulnerable to the SARS-CoV2 infection, which is associated with an increased risk for neuropsychiatric complications. These patients need a unique approach to managing ethical issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including autonomy, veracity, non-maleficence, justice, compassion, and dignity. The latter is one of the most elusive and misunderstood concepts in medical ethics and is extremely important in debates surrounding the proper management of patients with dementia. However, it is often left out of ethical analysis, as most clinicians, when debating issues associated with clinical practice, often evaluate only the “classical” principles of biomedical ethics. In this article, we aim to assess the unique features of dignity in treating this group of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will briefly analyze dignity as a bioethical concept. We will further explore its principal axes, namely compassion, creating a humane and purposeful environment, employing persuasion to meet the person’s essential needs, exerting a certain degree of mild restraint to meet the person’s critical needs, minimizing harm in terminal care, and justice, through the lens of people who had dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applying this principle in clinical practice requires significant commitment from all healthcare workers. New approaches to the analysis of dignity, such as through the Ring Theory of Personhood, may facilitate its understanding by practitioners and aid its implementation in populations with multiple vulnerabilities, such as dementia patients, during an infectious outbreak that generates significant social and medical changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Burden of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health)
9 pages, 310 KiB  
Case Report
COVID-19-Associated Acute Psychotic Disorder—Longitudinal Case Report and Brief Review of Literature
by Maria Gabriela Puiu, Vlad Dionisie, Andra Ioana Dobrin and Mirela Manea
Medicina 2023, 59(2), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59020408 - 19 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2313
Abstract
Even though since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the literature became more and more abundant on data and hypotheses about the various consequences on people’s lives, more clarity needs to be added to the existing information. Besides the stressful experiences related to [...] Read more.
Even though since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the literature became more and more abundant on data and hypotheses about the various consequences on people’s lives, more clarity needs to be added to the existing information. Besides the stressful experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 infection has been proven to impact brain functioning through direct and indirect pathogenic mechanisms. In this context, we report a case of a patient presenting with a first episode of psychosis following COVID-19. In our case, a 28-year-old male patient with no personal or family psychiatric history developed psychotic symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized behaviour) that required antipsychotic treatment and inpatient hospitalization one week after he was discharged from the hospital after COVID-19. At the six-month and one-year follow-up, the patient was in remission without any psychotic signs or symptoms. A brief review of the literature is also provided. The case presented in this article outlines the possibility that the post-COVD-19 recovery period might be a crucial time for the onset of acute psychotic disorder, and therefore, routine psychiatric assessments should be carried out during all phases of the disease. A clearer picture of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health will most likely be revealed in the future as many consequences need long-term evaluation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Burden of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health)
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