scholarly journals The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on treatment‐seeking veterans in the united kingdom with preexisting mental health difficulties: A longitudinal study

Author(s):  
Laura Josephine Hendrikx ◽  
Charlotte Williamson ◽  
Julia Baumann ◽  
Dominic Murphy
Author(s):  
Ming-Bo Liu ◽  
Géraldine Dufour ◽  
Zhuo-Er Sun ◽  
Julieta Galante ◽  
Chen-Qi Xing ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Daimer ◽  
Lorenz Mihatsch ◽  
Lisa Ronan ◽  
Graham K. Murray ◽  
Franziska Knolle

Studies reported a strong impact on mental health during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in March–June, 2020. In this study, we assessed the impact of the pandemic on mental health in general and on schizotypal traits in two independent general population samples of the United Kingdom (May sample N: 239, October sample N: 126; participation at both timepoints: 21) and in two independent general population samples of Germany (May sample N: 543, October sample N: 401; participation at both timepoints: 100) using online surveys. Whereas general psychological symptoms (global symptom index, GSI) and percentage of responders above clinical cut-off for further psychological investigation were higher in the May sample compared to the October sample, schizotypy scores (Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire) were higher in the October sample. We investigated potential associations, using general linear regression models (GLM). For schizotypy scores, we found that loneliness, use of drugs, and financial burden were more strongly corrected with schizotypy in the October compared to the May sample. We identified similar associations for GSI, as for schizotypy scores, in the May and October samples. We furthermore found that living in the United Kingdom was related to higher schizotypal scores or GSI. However, individual estimates of the GLM are highly comparable between the two countries. In conclusion, this study shows that while the general psychological impact is lower in the October than the May sample, potentially showing a normative response to an exceptional situation; schizotypy scores are higher at the second timepoint, which may be due to a stronger impact of estimates of loneliness, drug use, and financial burden. The ongoing, exceptional circumstances within this pandemic might increase the risk for developing psychosis in some individuals. The development of general psychological symptoms and schizotypy scores over time requires further attention and investigation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 868-869
Author(s):  
M. Garrido-Cumbrera ◽  
H. Marzo-Ortega ◽  
J. Correa-Fernández ◽  
S. Sanz-Gómez ◽  
L. Christen ◽  
...  

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis affecting people worldwide, including those with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).Objectives:REUMAVID aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on the wellbeing, mental health, disease activity and function, access to health care and treatment, support services, and hopes and fears of people RMDs.Methods:REUMAVID is an international collaboration led by the Health & Territory Research group at University of Seville, Spain, together with a multidisciplinary team including patient organization and rheumatologists. This cross-sectional study consisting of an online survey gathering data from patients with a diagnosis of 15 RMDs in Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. Participants are recruited by patient organizations. Data is collected in two phases: 1) during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (Spring 2020), and 2) as a follow-up to the pandemic (Winter 2020). This analysis presents descriptive results of the aggregated data, summarizing continuous and categorical variables.Results:A total of 1,800 RMD patients have participated in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (from early April to mid-June 2020). The most frequent reported diagnosis were axial spondyloarthritis (37.2%), rheumatoid arthritis (29.2%) and osteoarthritis (17.2%). Mean age was 52.6±13.2, 80.1% were female, 69.6% were in a relationship or married and 48.6% had university studies. In total, 1.1% had tested positive for COVID-19, 10.8 % reported symptoms but were not tested, while 88.1% did not experience any symptoms. 46.6% reported worsening health during the pandemic. 63.9% perceived their health status to be “fair to very bad”. Access to care was limited with 58.4% being unable to keep the rheumatologist appointment, of which, 35.2% were cancelled by the provider and 54.4% was attended by phone or online. 15.8% changed their medication, for which 65.5% were changed by the provider and 24.6% by own decision. Reported wellbeing and psychological health during the pandemic was poor, with 49.0% reporting poor wellbeing according to the WHO-5 scale, 57.3% marking as anxiety and 45.8% as depression in the HADS scale. During the pandemic, 24.6% smoked and 18.2% drank more than before and 54.5% were unable to exercise at home.Conclusion:Results from the first phase of REUMAVID show disturbance of the healthcare quality, substantial changes in harmful health behaviors and an unprecedented impairment of mental health in REUMAVID participants. REUMAVID will continue to collect information in order to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in people affected by RMDs across Europe.Acknowledgements:This study was supported by Novartis Pharma AG. We would like to thank all patients that completed the survey as well as all of the patient organisations that participated in the REUMAVID study including: the Cyprus League Against Rheumatism (CYPLAR) from Cyprus, the Association Française de Lutte Anti-Rhumatismale (AFLAR) from France, the Hellenic League Against Rheumatism (ELEANA) from Greece, the Associazione Nazionale Persone con Malattie Reumatologiche e Rare (APMARR) from Italy, the Portuguese League Against Rheumatic Diseases (LPCDR), from Portugal, the Spanish Federation of Spondyloarthritis Associations, the Spanish Patients’ Forum (FEP), UNiMiD, Spanish Rheumatology League (LIRE), Andalusian Rheumatology League (LIRA), Catalonia Rheumatology League and Galician Rheumatology League from Spain, and the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS), National Rheumatoid Arthritis (NRAS) and Arthritis Action from the United Kingdom.Disclosure of Interests:Marco Garrido-Cumbrera: None declared, Helena Marzo-Ortega Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Biogen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Takeda and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Grant/research support from: Janssen and Novartis, José Correa-Fernández: None declared, Sergio Sanz-Gómez: None declared, Laura Christen Employee of: Novartis Pharma AG, Victoria Navarro-Compán Grant/research support from: Abbvie, BMS, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB.


Author(s):  
Shimaa Mohammed Hasnin Aboelnaga

This research study aims to analyze the impact of caffeine on the physical and mental health of university students within the United Kingdom. The research has made use of a mixed-methods methodology, involving both the qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, to collect and analyze secondary data to meet the objectives. The data for this study has been collected from case studies enunciated and highlighted in the previous research studies in this subject area and using that data, the analysis was conducted to analyze the impact of caffeine in the context of the target population. The results of the study suggest that impact is a function of the quantity of caffeine consumed by university students. This is to say that if the quantity suggested by the health experts has been consumed by students, then there is no potential negative health outcome. But if an increased quantity has been consumed, then, as per the findings of this study, several negative mental health statuses of students in the UK may be observed.


2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402093961
Author(s):  
Sophie Walker ◽  
Martha von Werthern ◽  
Francesca Brady ◽  
Cornelius Katona

Background: Asylum seekers who are granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom are required to make a rapid transition to housing and welfare benefits. The challenges facing new refugees during this ‘transition period’ can affect their mental health, but this has not been quantified. Aims: To assess the impact of the transition period on new refugees’ mental health in the 12 months after being granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom. Method: A longitudinal survey design was used to measure the mental health of 30 newly recognised refugees at monthly intervals in the first 6 months and again at 1 year after receiving leave to remain in the United Kingdom. There were five outcome measures for symptoms of anxiety, depression, distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), post-migration living difficulties (PMLD) and a life events calendar to record key changes in housing and welfare. Results: The results showed that the trajectory of scores across all measures fluctuates, but overall they all improve from baseline to Month 12. Scores for depression and PMLD showed significant improvement at Month 5, and scores for anxiety, depression, distress and PMLD showed significant improvement at Month 12. PTSD scores did not show significant improvement at any month. In months with a high number of stressful life events, participants had worse PMLD and PTSD scores. Conclusion: Overall improvement in mental health could partly be explained by the stability of being granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom, but may also be due to the high level of practical support these participants received. Recommendations are made for those working with clients during the transition period.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-151
Author(s):  
Andrea Circolo ◽  
Ondrej Hamuľák

Abstract The paper focuses on the very topical issue of conclusion of the membership of the State, namely the United Kingdom, in European integration structures. The ques­tion of termination of membership in European Communities and European Union has not been tackled for a long time in the sources of European law. With the adop­tion of the Treaty of Lisbon (2009), the institute of 'unilateral' withdrawal was intro­duced. It´s worth to say that exit clause was intended as symbolic in its nature, in fact underlining the status of Member States as sovereign entities. That is why this institute is very general and the legal regulation of the exercise of withdrawal contains many gaps. One of them is a question of absolute or relative nature of exiting from integration structures. Today’s “exit clause” (Art. 50 of Treaty on European Union) regulates only the termination of membership in the European Union and is silent on the impact of such a step on membership in the European Atomic Energy Community. The presented paper offers an analysis of different variations of the interpretation and solution of the problem. It´s based on the independent solution thesis and therefore rejects an automa­tism approach. The paper and topic is important and original especially because in the multitude of scholarly writings devoted to Brexit questions, vast majority of them deals with institutional questions, the interpretation of Art. 50 of Treaty on European Union; the constitutional matters at national UK level; future relation between EU and UK and political bargaining behind such as all that. The question of impact on withdrawal on Euratom membership is somehow underrepresented. Present paper attempts to fill this gap and accelerate the scholarly debate on this matter globally, because all consequences of Brexit already have and will definitely give rise to more world-wide effects.


2021 ◽  
pp. 203228442199492
Author(s):  
Catherine Van de Heyning

The submission discusses the provisions in the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement on data protection as well as the consequences for the exchange of passenger name record data in the field of criminal and judicial cooperation. The author concludes that the impact of the Agreement will depend on the resolvement of the United Kingdom to uphold the standards of protection of personal data equivalent to the EU’s in order to reach an adequacy decision.


2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
C Williamson ◽  
J Baumann ◽  
W Busuttil ◽  
N T Fear

IntroductionData are emerging showing the adverse consequences on mental health of the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the needs of veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through a cross-sectional online survey from a randomly selected sample (n=1092) of military veterans who have sought help for mental health difficulties from a veteran-specific UK-based charity. The response rate was 25.2% (n=275). Participants were asked to complete a range of standardised mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, common mental health difficulties (CMDs): 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, difficulties with anger: 5-Item Dimensions of Anger Reactions—Revised and alcohol misuse: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and endorse a list of potential stressors related to changes to daily life resulting from COVID-19. Regression analyses were fitted to explore predictors of mental health severity.ResultsIt was observed that symptoms of common mental disorder and PTSD (69.3% and 65.0%, respectively) were the most commonly reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Lack of social support and reporting increasing numbers of stressors related to COVID-19 were consistently associated with increasing severity of a range of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsOur findings suggest veterans who had pre-existing mental health difficulties prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 may be at increased risk of experiencing CMDs as a result of the pandemic. Intervening to improve levels of social support and offering practical guidance to better manage any additional stressors relating to the pandemic may provide strategies to help reduce the burden of mental health symptoms.


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