Danger in danger: Interpersonal violence during COVID-19 quarantine

The Psychological Costs of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Heterogeneous Effects in South Korea: Evidence from a Difference-in-Differences Analysis

This study estimates the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on life satisfaction and stress and examines whether these effects vary across different sociodemographic groups using a nationally representative sample in South Korea. We estimate the causal effects of COVID-19 on psychological well-being by exploiting regional variation in the spread of the pandemic in South Korea. While the number of confirmed cases was very small in other provinces in the first half of 2020, the coronavirus spread rapidly in Daegu after an outbreak in one church. We employ a difference-in-differences approach that compares changes in people's life satisfaction and stress before-and-after the initial surge of COVID-19 cases in Daegu and other provinces. Our results show that the proportion of people who are dissatisfied with life increased by 2.8-6.5 percentage points more in Daegu than in other provinces after the COVID-19 outbreak. During the same period, the proportion of people who reported feeling stressed increased more in Daegu than in other provinces by 5.8-8.9 percentage points. Our results also suggest that the negative impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on psychological well-being is significantly greater for men, young adults, middle-aged adults, self-employed workers, and middle-income individuals. On the other hand, the proportion of people who report feeling stressed among the highest-educated (a master's degree or higher) and high-income individuals decreased after the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Domestic violence against women during coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown in Egypt: a cross-sectional study

Background

While it is necessary to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, efforts including social isolation, restricted travel, and school closures are anticipated to raise the probability of domestic violence (DV). This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, pattern, risk factors, and physical health outcomes of domestic violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenient sample. The data collection tool was based on Sect. 11 of the Egyptian Demographic Health Survey, 2014, which is designed to measure domestic violence. We used a Google form-designed questionnaire and distributed the link to social media platforms from May 2020 to June 2020 till the collection of the required sample of 388 completed questionnaires.

Results

The prevalence of every form of DV was 31%. Emotional violence was the most prevalent (43.5%) followed by physical (38.9%) and sexual violence (17.5%). About 10.5% of women reported suffering from all types of violence. The husband was the most common perpetrator of DV. The determinants of ever experiencing any form of DV were low education level of women (OR = 7.3, 95% CI 2.8–18.8), unemployment (OR = 2.31, 95% CI 4–3.5), husband’s use of alcohol or substance (OR = 14.4, 95% CI 4.1–50.2), and insufficient income (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 2–3.2). The most common health consequences of DV were injuries such as cuts, bruises, and aches.

Conclusions

The prevalence of ever experiencing any form of DV was 31% which is considered high. Emotional violence was the most common whereas sexual violence was the least common. Identifying the risk factors of DV would support the development and implementation of preventive and screening programs for early identification and offering social support to the victims. Policies should be adopted for the early detection and protection of women suffering from violent behaviors. Access to adequate prompt support and health-care services is crucial in order to decrease the consequences of violence. It is necessary to implement alcohol or drug abuse interventions, preventive measures, and screening programs in families to reduce DV.

When COVID-19 Is Not All: Femicide Conducted by a Murderer with a Narcissistic Personality "Masked" by a Brief Psychotic Disorder, with a Mini-Review

Several cases of COVID-19-related mental disorders have emerged during the pandemic. In a case of femicide that occurred in Italy during the first phase of the pandemic, coinciding with a national lockdown, a discrepancy arose among forensic psychiatry experts, particularly toward the diagnosis of Brief Psychotic Disorder (BPD) related to COVID-19. We aimed to discuss the evaluation of the case through an integration of information and a literature review on comparable reported cases. An analysis of the diagnosis of brief acute psychosis was then performed, as well as a mini-review on cases of COVID-19-related psychosis. Results showed that psychotic symptomatology was characterized by polythematic delusions that always involved a SARS-CoV-2 infection. To a lesser extent, the delusions were accompanied by hallucinations, bizarre cognitive and associative alterations, insomnia, hyporexia, dysphoria, and suicidal behavior. No particularly violent acts with related injury or death of the victim were described. Finally, we could hypothesize that our case was better represented by a diagnosis of personality with predominantly narcissistic and partly psychopathic traits. The present case highlighted the importance, in the context of forensic psychiatry, of integrating assessments with the crime perpetrators, namely through accurate clinical interviews, neuropsychological tests, diachronic observations, and comparison with similar cases present in the literature. Such an integrated approach allows precise evaluation and reduces the odds of errors in a field, such as forensic psychiatry, where a diagnostic decision can be decisive in the judgment of criminal responsibility. Moreover, discerning forensics from health cases represents an important issue in risk management.

"A Lot of Things Stopped with COVID": Screening Pregnant Patients for Opioid Use and Related Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

We explored the impact of COVID-19 on universal screening programs for opioid use and related conditions among practicing clinicians or staff who work with pregnant patients.

METHODS

Semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews (n = 15) were conducted with practicing clinicians or staff in West-Central Florida between May and October 2020, representing both a range of professions and clinical settings that serve pregnant patients. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and reviewed for accuracy. Independent coders conducted thematic content analysis iteratively in MaxQDA to identify emergent themes.

RESULTS

Four main themes were identified: worsening health and life conditions of pregnant patients, impaired patient-provider interactions, lack of priority and resources, and conducting opioid screening remotely. Pregnant patients often faced worsening mental health, lack of connection with health care providers, and socioenvironmental factors that increased the risk of overdose and intimate partner violence. Health care providers and facilities faced an infectious disease pandemic that simultaneously increased mental burden and reduced resources. Telehealth improved access to health care for many, but also came with implementation challenges such as inadequate technology, the need to address barriers to developing rapport with patients, and difficulty with certain social screens.

CONCLUSION

These themes describe facilitators of and barriers to implementing opioid and related screening programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the increasing urgency of screening because of socioenvironmental factors. Patients, health care providers, and health practices may benefit from emergency plans that anticipate screening challenges given their increased importance during times of heightened risk, including disasters and epidemics.

Alcohol use disorder and liver injury related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Alcohol use disorder is a complex and heterogeneous phenomenon that can be studied from several points of view by focusing on its different components. Alcohol is a hepatotoxin whose metabolism creates profound alterations within the hepatocyte. The liver is the central organ in the metabolism of alcohol, a process that also involves other organs and tissues such as the brain, heart and muscles, but the most relevant organ is the liver. The anatomopathological alterations in the liver associated with the prolonged use of alcohol range from the simple accumulation of neutral fats in the hepatocytes, to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Alcohol abuse frequently leads to liver disease such as steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and tumors. Following the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there was an increase in alcohol consumption, probably linked to the months of lockdown and smart working. It is known that social isolation leads to a considerable increase in stress, and it is also recognized that high levels of stress can result in an increase in alcohol intake. Cirrhotic patients or subjects with liver cancer are immunocompromised, so they may be more exposed to COVID-19 infection with a worse prognosis. This review focuses on the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has made the emergence of alcohol-induced liver damage a major medical and social problem.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Well-Being: A Literature Review

Background: COVID-19 has changed family life, including employment status, financial security, the mental health of individual family members, children's education, family well-being, and family resilience. The aim of this study is to analyze the previous studies in relation to family well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A literature review was conducted on PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus for studies using a cross-sectional or quasi-experimental design published from their inception to October 15, 2020, using the keywords “COVID-19,” “pandemic,” “coronavirus,” “family,” “welfare,” “well-being,” and “resilience.” A manual search on Google Scholar was used to find relevant articles based on the eligibility criteria in this study. The presented conceptual framework is based on the family stress model to link the inherent pandemic hardships and the family well-being. Results: The results show that family income loss/economic difficulties, job loss, worsening mental health, and illness were reported in some families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Family life has been influenced since the early stage of the pandemic by the implementation of physical distancing, quarantine, and staying at home to curb the spread of coronavirus. During the pandemic, it is important to maintain family well-being by staying connected with communication, managing conflict, and making quality time within family. Conclusion: The government should take action to mitigate the social, economic, and health impacts of the pandemic on families, especially those who are vulnerable to losing household income. Promoting family resilience through shared beliefs and close relationships within families is needed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perspectives on delivering safe and equitable trauma-focused intimate partner violence interventions via virtual means: A qualitative study during COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has been linked with increased rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and associated experiences of compounded trauma. The emergence of this global pandemic and the public health measures introduced to limit its transmission necessitated the need for virtually delivered interventions to support continuity of care and access to interventions for individuals affected by IPV throughout the crisis. With the rapid shift to virtual delivery, understanding the barriers to accessing virtually delivering trauma-focused IPV interventions to these individuals was missed. This study aimed to qualitatively describe the challenges experienced by service providers with delivering virtually delivered IPV services that are safe, equitable, and accessible for their diverse clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The study involved semi-structured interviews with 24 service providers within the anti-violence sector in Alberta, Canada working with and serving individuals affected by IPV. The interviews focused on the perspectives and experiences of the providers as an indirect source of information about virtual delivery of IPV interventions for a diverse range of individuals affected by IPV. Interview transcripts were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Findings in our study show the concepts of equity and safety are more complex for individuals affected by IPV, especially those who are socially disadvantaged. Service providers acknowledged pre-existing systemic and institutional barriers faced by underserved individuals impact their access to IPV interventions more generally. The COVID-19 pandemic further compounded these pre-existing challenges and hindered virtual access to IPV interventions. Service providers also highlighted the pandemic exacerbated structural vulnerabilities already experienced by underserved populations, which intensified the barriers they face in seeking help, and reduced their ability to receive safe and equitable interventions virtually.

Conclusion

The findings from this qualitative research identified key determining factors for delivering safe, equitable, and accessible virtually delivered intervention for a diverse range of populations. To ensure virtual interventions are safe and equitable it is necessary for service providers to acknowledge and attend to underlying systemic and institutional barriers including discrimination and social exclusion. There is also a need for a collaborative commitment from multiple levels of the social, health, and political systems.

Investigating the relationship between the depression levels of midwives and nurses and their emotional labor and secondary traumatic stress levels in the COVID-19 pandemic period with structural equation modelling

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between depression levels in midwives and nurses and their emotional labor and secondary traumatic stress levels in the COVID-19 pandemic process structural equation modelling. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 313 midwives and nurses. According to the model formed based on the presence of depression, as the Emotional Labor scores of the participants increased, their Beck Depression scores decreased 0.947-fold, while as their Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale scores increased, their Beck Depression scores increased 1.116-fold. It was determined that the scores of the participants in the Emotional Labor and Secondary Traumatic Stress Scales explained 42.8% of their Beck Depression Inventory scores. It was concluded that the depression statuses of the participants were affected by their emotional labor and secondary traumatic stress statuses.

Effect of COVID-19 Italian Lockdown on Maxillofacial Trauma Related to Domestic Violence: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: This retrospective study aims to identify the potential reasons for the increase in maxillofacial trauma from domestic violence in the first COVID-19 lockdown and propose some strategies that could be effective in fighting it during any future pandemic events. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on patients with maxillofacial trauma who arrived at the Maxillofacial Unit of the Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro from 9 March to 3 May 2020, who were compared with those registered in the same period in 2019. Inclusion criteria were: patients of both sexes and admission diagnosed with maxillofacial trauma with or without bone fracture. Exclusion criteria were: patients less than 7 years of age, maxillofacial trauma that occurred outside the established period, and patients unconscious or with unclear clinical history. Patients were divided into two groups according to the mechanism of injury (MOI): “domestic” and “non-domestic” trauma. Both descriptive and regressive statistical analysis was conducted using a Student’s t-test with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: The total number of maxillofacial fractures in 2020 was similar to 2019 (31 pcs in 2020 vs. 38 pcs in 2019). Before the lockdown, most of the trauma occurred in non-domestic settings (25% in 2020 vs. 76.67% in 2019), especially in road accidents (4.17% in 2020 vs. 20% in 2019). During the lockdown, most of the trauma occurred in a domestic setting (75% in 2020 vs. 23.33% in 2019), especially interpersonal violence (31.58% in 2020 vs. 14.28% in 2019). There were 7 cases of interpersonal violence recorded in 2020 (1 male and 6 female), compared to only one case (female) recorded in 2019, with a statistically significant p-Value (0.0475). Conclusions: The first COVID-19 lockdown has provided the opportunity to study the aetiology of domestic trauma due to interpersonal violence attributable to economic and social problems, all of which were aggravated by the impediment to requesting help due to the difficulty of contacting the services and the general slowdown in the ways out of violence. The analysis conducted and compared with data in the literature suggests the adoption of a proactive (and non-reactive) approach to combat domestic violence during pandemic events.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on violence against pre-hospital emergency health workers

BACKGROUND: Violence against pre-hospital emergency health workers is a growing problem worldwide and negatively impacts the effectiveness of emergency services. The social distancing, isolation and quarantine measures that have been employed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have also had economic and psychosocial effects. Therefore, it is important to explore how the negative repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have influenced these violent incidents that interfere with the work of emergency medical services (EMS). OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate how violence against EMS workers has been impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This study takes an interpretive social science approach, using the qualitative method of in-depth semi-structured interviewing. Audio of the interviews was recorded with the interviewee’s consent. Sound recordings were transcribed and their content was categorised into themes. Categorised texts were then evaluated using descriptive analysis. RESULTS: Participants reported that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they encountered more violence than usual on EMS assignments to non-emergency situations, though a sense of gratitude towards health workers at the beginning of the pandemic and positives attitudes towards health workers also contributed to reduced violence towards them. The data indicate that workplace violence among EMS employees has increased as the problems caused by the pandemic have intensified, suggesting that additional measures need to be taken to protect them. CONCLUSION: In parallel with an increase in social violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, violence against EMS workers also increased in prevalence. A multidimensional approach should now be taken to determine how violence against EMS employees will be affected by risks such as the intergenerational transmission of social violence, a psychosocial repercussion of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially considering the increasing workplace violence among EMS employees.

Violencia sexual en un municipio de Colombia: características de las víctimas y de sus victimarios, 2011-2020

Introducción.

La violencia sexual es un problema de salud pública inscrito en las agendas sociales y políticas a nivel global. Representa una urgencia médica que se atiende en los servicios de salud, lo que los convierte en la principal fuente de su registro en los sistemas de vigilancia en salud pública.

Objetivo.

Analizar las características sociodemográficas de las víctimas de violencia sexual y de sus victimarios en el municipio de Envigado, Antioquia, entre el 2011 y el 2020.

Materiales y métodos.

Se hizo un estudio transversal descriptivo a partir de todos los registros de violencia sexual notificados en el Sistema de Vigilancia en Salud Pública de la violencia de género e intrafamiliar de Envigado (código de ficha INS-875), durante el periodo 2011-2020.

Resultados.

Se registraron 807 casos de violencia sexual entre 2011 y 2020; el 62,0 % correspondió a casos de abuso sexual a personas menores de 18 años; el 82,3 % de las víctimas estaba constituido por mujeres adolescentes agredidas por familiares; los principales agresores fueron hombres (99,1 %), con una mediana de edad 26 años.

Conclusión.

La violencia sexual es un problema en aumento; en el 2020, año del confinamiento poblacional por la Covid-19, las tasas en mujeres y durante la primera infancia, la adolescencia y la juventud, fueron las más altas del periodo de estudio.

Aggressive measures, rising inequalities, and mass formation during the COVID-19 crisis: An overview and proposed way forward

A series of aggressive restrictive measures were adopted around the world in 2020-2022 to attempt to prevent SARS-CoV-2 from spreading. However, it has become increasingly clear the most aggressive (lockdown) response strategies may involve negative side-effects such as a steep increase in poverty, hunger, and inequalities. Several economic, educational, and health repercussions have fallen disproportionately on children, students, young workers, and especially on groups with pre-existing inequalities such as low-income families, ethnic minorities, and women. This has led to a vicious cycle of rising inequalities and health issues. For example, educational and financial security decreased along with rising unemployment and loss of life purpose. Domestic violence surged due to dysfunctional families being forced to spend more time with each other. In the current narrative and scoping review, we describe macro-dynamics that are taking place because of aggressive public health policies and psychological tactics to influence public behavior, such as mass formation and crowd behavior. Coupled with the effect of inequalities, we describe how these factors can interact toward aggravating ripple effects. In light of evidence regarding the health, economic and social costs, that likely far outweigh potential benefits, the authors suggest that, first, where applicable, aggressive lockdown policies should be reversed and their re-adoption in the future should be avoided. If measures are needed, these should be non-disruptive. Second, it is important to assess dispassionately the damage done by aggressive measures and offer ways to alleviate the burden and long-term effects. Third, the structures in place that have led to counterproductive policies should be assessed and ways should be sought to optimize decision-making, such as counteracting groupthink and increasing the level of reflexivity. Finally, a package of scalable positive psychology interventions is suggested to counteract the damage done and improve humanity's prospects.

Perinatal intimate partner violence during COVID-19 and its associated factors among postpartum mothers attending newborn immunization in southern Ethiopia, 2021: A cross-sectional study

Objective:

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of perinatal intimate partner violence during COVID-19 and its associated factors among postpartum mothers attending newborn immunization in southern Ethiopia, 2021.

Method:

A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 657 postpartum mothers from 1 to 30 March 2021 in southern Ethiopia. All postpartum mothers who visited the selected hospitals or health centers for newborn immunization and met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. Data were cleaned, coded, entered into Epidata manager version 4.2 and then exported into SPSS version 26 for analysis. Binary and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used.

Results:

The prevalence of perinatal intimate partner violence was 62.4%. In this study, income loss due to COVID-19 (adjusted odds ratio: 12.00, 95% confidence interval: 5.60, 25.71, p < 0.001) was the strongest factor associated with perinatal intimate partner violence. Young age women (adjusted odds ratio: 5.82, 95% confidence interval: 2.72, 12.46, p < 0.001), partner alcohol use (adjusted odds ratio: 2.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.37, 3.56, p = 0.001), partner substance use (adjusted odds ratio: 2.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.12, 3.83, p = 0.021), and partner relationships (cohabited) (adjusted odds ratio: 1.88, 95% confidence interval: 1.06, 3.34, p = 0.032) were also strongly associated with perinatal intimate partner violence.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of perinatal intimate partner violence was relatively high. The health of the women should be maintained through empowerment of women and provision of health education in order to minimize prevalence of perinatal intimate partner violence associated with low income, young age, substance use, and cohabited marital status. Future qualitative studies are required to identify the underlying multifactorial reasons for intimate partner violence.

The Prevalence of Psychotic Symptoms, Violent Ideation, and Disruptive Behavior in a Population With SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Preliminary Study

Background

The COVID-19 disease results from infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to produce a range of mild to severe physical, neurological, and mental health symptoms. The COVID-19 pandemic has indirectly caused significant emotional distress, triggering the emergence of mental health symptoms in individuals who were not previously affected or exacerbating symptoms in those with existing mental health conditions. Emotional distress and certain mental health conditions can lead to violent ideation and disruptive behavior, including aggression, threatening acts, deliberate harm toward other people or animals, and inattention to or noncompliance with education or workplace rules. Of the many mental health conditions that can be associated with violent ideation and disruptive behavior, psychosis can evidence greater vulnerability to unpredictable changes and being at a greater risk for them. Individuals with psychosis can also be more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 disease.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate whether violent ideation, disruptive behavior, or psychotic symptoms were more prevalent in a population with COVID-19 and did not precede the pandemic.

Methods

In this preliminary study, we analyzed questionnaire responses from a population sample (N=366), received between the end of February 2021 and the start of March 2021 (1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic), regarding COVID-19 illness, violent ideation, disruptive behavior, and psychotic symptoms. Using the Wilcoxon rank sum test followed by multiple comparisons correction, we compared the self-reported frequency of these variables for 3 time windows related to the past 1 month, past 1 month to 1 year, and >1 year ago among the distributions of people who answered whether they tested positive or were diagnosed with COVID-19 by a clinician. We also used multivariable logistic regression with iterative resampling to investigate the relationship between these variables occurring >1 year ago (ie, before the pandemic) and the likelihood of contracting COVID-19.

Results

We observed a significantly higher frequency of self-reported violent ideation, disruptive behavior, and psychotic symptoms, for all 3 time windows of people who tested positive or were diagnosed with COVID-19 by a clinician. Using multivariable logistic regression, we observed 72% to 94% model accuracy for an increased incidence of COVID-19 in participants who reported violent ideation, disruptive behavior, or psychotic symptoms >1 year ago.

Conclusions

This preliminary study found that people who reported a test or clinician diagnosis of COVID-19 also reported higher frequencies of violent ideation, disruptive behavior, or psychotic symptoms across multiple time windows, indicating that they were not likely to be the result of COVID-19. In parallel, participants who reported these behaviors >1 year ago (ie, before the pandemic) were more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19, suggesting that violent ideation, disruptive behavior, in addition to psychotic symptoms, were associated with COVID-19 with an approximately 70% to 90% likelihood.

Longitudinal Analysis of Short-term Changes in Relationship Conflict During COVID-19: A Risk and Resilience Perspective

This study uses a risk and resilience framework to examine short-term self-reported changes in relationship conflict early in the COVID-19 pandemic (March and April 2020). Longitudinal data from U.S. adults in a romantic relationship (N = 291) were collected via three waves of an online survey. Participants self-reported anxiety, depression, increased alcohol use, and dyadic coping since the pandemic. Relationship conflict variables included whether the participant reported that they and their partner "had disagreements related to the Coronavirus," "had more disagreements than usual," "had more verbal fights than usual," and "had more physical fights than usual" in the past two weeks. Analyses controlled for sociodemographic characteristics as well as days spent in lockdown and employment change due to COVID-19. Results indicated that couples' disagreement and verbal fighting scores increased from Time 1 to Time 2, but disagreements related to COVID-19 and physical fighting did not. Couples with higher levels of dyadic coping reported fewer fights and disagreements on average. However, dyadic coping did not buffer participants from increases in relationship conflict. Increased alcohol use since the pandemic was positively associated with disagreements related to COVID-19, disagreement scores, and verbal fighting scores. More days spent in lockdown was associated with increases in disagreements related to COVID-19. The conditions created by COVID-19 may contribute to worsening relationship conflict, even among couples who start with high levels of dyadic coping. Depression and alcohol use may contribute to poorer relationship quality during the pandemic. There is need for enhanced intervention and mental health supports to mitigate the potential effects of the pandemic on couples' relationship functioning.

Sustainable development goals under threat? Multidimensional impact of COVID-19 on our planet and society outweigh short term global pollution reduction

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call on all nations to accomplish 17 broad global development goals by 2030. However, the COVID-19 pandemic presents a challenging period in human history, causing large-scale impacts on society and the environment as governments shift priorities and divert funding in response to this pandemic. Through a literature survey and data acquirement from various international organizations (e.g. United Nations and European Space Agency), this manuscript is intended to provide critical insights into the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SDGs. We briefly describe this pandemic's positive and short-term effects on the environment, followed by a critical evaluation of its potential long-term impacts on the environment, society, and the SDGs. On the basis of COVID-19 effects, the SDGs are classified into three categories: directly-affected SDGs, indirectly-affected SDGs, and a stand-alone category. The COVID-19-induced lockdowns and restrictions resulted in a short-term decline in environmental pollution and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, providing valuable data for climate advocates and researchers. These positive impacts were essentially temporary due to the synchronized global response to the pandemic. The halted focus on the progress of the SDGs greatly impacts the global green transition to a healthy and sustainable world. COVID-19 threatens to impede the progress toward a prosperous, environment-friendly, and sustainable global development in multiple ways. These multi-dimensional threats have been critically evaluated, along with a description of potential solutions to curtail the adverse effects of COVID-19 on the SDGs. Considering the limited data regarding the impacts of the pandemic on the SDGs, diverse collaborative studies at the regional and global levels are recommended.

Changes in Child Discipline Strategies in Iran During the Outbreak of COVID-19

During the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety and depression were common among caregivers and parents more prone to adopt harsh disciplinary techniques when angry or stressed. The purpose of this study was to investigate if there are any differences in parents' disciplinary strategies following social distancing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of parents (N = 605) and mothers (n = 533; 88.1%) aged 37.80 years old (SD = 5.66; range = 20-59) who lived with children aged 6-12 years in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. Iran's Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey questionnaire was used to gauge child discipline. There was an increase in shaking (1.8%), shouting and yelling (15.5%). The findings of this study serve as a reminder to researchers and government officials that child abuse and violence are more likely to occur during stressful times and provide the scientific foundation for the development of tailored psychological treatment.

Mental Health Support for Hospital Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Characteristics of the Services and Feedback from the Providers

French authorities created mental health support services to accompany HCWs during the pandemic. We aimed to obtain feedback from staff providing these mental health support services within French hospitals to identify positive and negative features and avenues for improvement. A mixed-methods study was performed between 1 April and 30 June 2020. We contacted 77 centres to identify those providing mental health support services. We developed a questionnaire containing questions about the staff providing the service (quantitative part), with open questions to enable feedback from service providers (qualitative part). Of the 77 centres, 36 had mental health support services; 77.8% were created specifically for the epidemic. Services were staffed principally by psychologists, mainly used a telephone platform, and had a median opening time of 8 h/day. Thirty-seven professionals provided feedback, most aged 35–49 years. For 86.5%, it was their first time providing such support. Median self-reported comfort level was 8 (interquartiles 3–10), and 95% would do it again. Respondents reported (i) difficulties with work organisation, clinical situations, and lack of recognition and (ii) a desire for training. This study suggests that mental health support needs to be adapted to the needs of HCWs, both in terms of the content of the service and the timing of delivery.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on children's and adolescents' mental health in Greece

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on children's and adolescents' mental health in Greece during the lockdown of spring 2020. A cross-sectional survey of 1232 Greek parents was conducted in spring 2020. 35.1% of parents reported that their children's psychological health was significantly affected. Parental unemployment, limited opportunity for tele-work and deteriorating psychological health, increased family conflicts and children's pre-existing physical health conditions were all significantly associated with mental health impact. Children and adolescents may experience adverse mental health effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 effects on women's home and work life, family violence and mental health from the Women's Health Expert Panel of the American Academy of Nursing

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic exaggerated women's roles in families as primary caretakers and overseers of family health. This is compounded by possible loss of work and resultant loss of health insurance.

PURPOSE

We examine how pandemic-related factors have altered women's roles and created stressors challenging stress adaptation and typical coping strategies, including how registered nurses have faced unique challenges.

FAMILY VIOLENCE AND PANDEMIC-RELATED MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES

Enforced stay-athome orders exaggerated by work-from-home has amplified family violence worldwide. Besides COVID-19 protective measures increasing greater contact with abusers, they limited women's access to help or support. Pandemic-related issues increased anxiety, anger, stress, agitation and withdrawal for women, children, and registered nurses.

DISCUSSION

More evidence about pandemic-related impacts on women's home and work lives, especially the scope of stressors and emotional/mental health manifestations is urgently needed. Policies to support interventions to improve mental health resilience are paramount.

The relationship between internet addiction and aggressive behavior among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Anxiety as a mediator

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for adolescents, who tended to experience more emotional instability, impulsivity, and aggressive behavior driven by the fear of infection and the uncertainty of network information. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between Internet addiction and aggressive behavior, and the mediating effects of depression and anxiety. There were differences in Internete addiction and aggressive behavior in gender, thus the moderating role of gender between them were explored. A total of 1148 middle school students were invited to complete the Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire, the Internet Addition Scale, the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) separately. The results suggested that 1) there was a significant positive correlation between Internet addiction and aggressive behavior; 2) anxiety, but not depression, mediated the effect of Internet addiction on aggressive behavior; 3) gender did not moderate the effect of Internet addiction on aggressive behavior. The practical implication of the current findings on boosting adolescents' mental health was discussed and further suggestions were provided.

The mental health and wellbeing of spouses, partners and children of emergency responders: A systematic review

Emergency responders (ERs), often termed First Responders, such as police, fire and paramedic roles are exposed to occupational stressors including high workload, and exposure to trauma from critical incidents, both of which can affect their mental health and wellbeing. Little is known about the impact of the ER occupation on the mental health and wellbeing of their families. The aim of the current study was to investigate what mental health and wellbeing outcomes and experiences have been researched internationally in ER families, and to examine the prevalence and associated risk and protective factors of these outcomes. We conducted a systematic review in accordance with an a priori PROSPERO approved protocol (PROSPERO 2019 CRD42019134974). Forty-three studies were identified for inclusion. The majority of studies used a quantitative, cross-sectional design and were conducted in the United States; just over half assessed police/law enforcement families. Themes of topics investigated included: 1) Spousal/partner mental health and wellbeing; 2) Couple relationships; 3) Child mental health and wellbeing; 4) Family support and coping strategies; and 5) Positive outcomes. The review identified limited evidence regarding the prevalence of mental health and wellbeing outcomes. Family experiences and risk factors described were ER work-stress spillover negatively impacting spousal/partner wellbeing, couple relationships, and domestic violence. Traumatic exposure risk factors included concerns family had for the safety of their ER partner, the negative impact of an ER partners’ mental health problem on the couples’ communication and on family mental health outcomes. Protective factors included social support; however, a lack of organisational support for families was reported in some studies. Study limitations and future research needs are discussed. Progressing this area of research is important to improve knowledge of baseline needs of ER families to be able to target interventions, improve public health, and support ER’s operational effectiveness.

Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management: Case-Study of Filicide in an Italian Woman

BACKGROUND

At an international level, the risk assessment and management process of violent offenders follows a standard method that implies well-defined theoretical models and the use of scientifically validated tools. In Italy, this process is still highly discretionary. The aim of this study is to highlight the advantages deriving from the use of risk assessment tools within the framework of a single case study; Methods: Recidivism risk and social dangerousness of an Italian woman perpetrator of filicide were assessed through the administration of the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) instrument supported by Historical Clinical Risk-20 Version 3 (HCR-20 V3); Results: The administration of LS/CMI showed that, in this single case, the subcomponents represent a criminogenic risk/need factor are: Family/Marital, Companions, Alcohol and Drug Problem and Leisure; while constituting strengths: employment and the absence of a Pro-criminal Orientation and an Antisocial Pattern; Conclusions: Data collected through LS/CMI indicated life areas of a single case, which should be emphasised not only to assess the risk of re-offending and social dangerousness but also for a social rehabilitation programme more suited to the subject. This study demonstrates that the LS/CMI assessment tool is suitable for the Italian context.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Intimate Partner Violence Among Married Women During COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions: A Community-Based Study

Ethiopia has taken unprecedented preventive measures, such as confinement to home and closure of schools and offices to halt the spread of Corona virus pandemic in the country. Unfortunately, such orders may have been associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) against women but there is no study conducted to assess the magnitude of IPV during the lock-downs in the country. Thus, this study intended to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of IPV against women during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on sample of 617 married or cohabited women. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to identify and enroll women who are married. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of IPV among women and all statistical analyses were carried out using STATA 14.2. In this study, amongst the 589 married women who were included in the analysis, 22.4% [95% CI: 19.1%, 25.9%] were experienced at least one form of IPV. Additionally, 11.0%, 20.0%, and 13.8% of women also experienced physical, psychological, and sexual IPVs respectively. After adjusting for covariate; being illiterate [AOR=2.37: 95% CI 1.29, 4.35], having illiterate husband [AOR=2.67: 95% CI 1.36, 5.21], having substance user husband (alcohol, chat or cigarettes) [AOR=2.75: 95% CI 1.42, 5.34], and community tolerant attitude to violence [AOR=2.97: 95% CI 1.17, 7.61] were the independent predictors of IPV amongst married women. In conclusion, the prevalence of IPV among married women was comparable to the national pre-COVID figure of IPV. Therefore, national and regional governments should work toward enhancing gender equality, coupled with addressing risk factors at multiple levels, using community- and institution-based approaches to prevent IPV and to specifically achieve SDG5 of eliminating violence against women by 2030.

Impacts of the psychological stress response on aggression in adolescents during the COVID-19 epidemic in China

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has exerted a tremendous impact on the psyche of people around the world, especially adolescents. In order to provide a valuable theoretical basis for effective measures to prevent psychological problems in adolescents during public health emergencies in the future, this study examined the mediating effect of coping style (CS, including positive coping style (PCS) and negative coping style (NCS)) and the moderating effect of emotional management ability (EMA) on the relationship between the psychological stress response (PSR) and aggression (AGG) in adolescents during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. The Buss–Warren Aggression Questionnaire, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Emotion Management Questionnaire were employed to investigate the mental health of Chinese adolescents from April 10–20 (Time point 1, T1) and May 20–30 (Time point 2, T2), 2020. A total of 1,931 adolescents (aged 10–25 years, M = 19.18 years, 51.4% male) were examined at T1 and 334 adolescents (aged 11–25 years, M = 19.97 years, 48.7% male) were reinvestigated at T2. Overall, 17.6% of the participants at T1 and 16.8% at T2 reported obvious PSR activation. NCS partly mediated the relationship between the PSR and AGG, and the indirect effect was moderated by EMA reported at T2. There were regional differences in the moderated mediation model in low-risk areas at T1. The moderated effects of EMA at T1 and T2 were opposite. Specifically, high EMA resulted in a stronger relationship between NCS and AGG at T1, whereas high EMA resulted in a weaker relationship between NCS and AGG at T2. Psychological reactions resulting from sudden public health events may trigger AGG in younger individuals. However, EMA may have a buffering effect on the onset of AGG. This research expands our understanding of the development of AGG in adolescents during the pandemic.

Weathering the Storm: Longitudinal Evidence on Women’s Changing Family Relationships During COVID-19

The massive socioeconomic changes wrought by COVID-19 have disrupted multiple aspects of family life. However, evidence is still lacking on the sustained long-term impact of the pandemic and how families are adapting to this new normal. This article studies changes in women’s family relationships against the backdrop of evolving COVID-19 public health responses, and investigates the adverse effects of working from home, income loss, and anxiety about the virus. We survey 356 Singaporean mothers over four waves: a baseline in April–July 2018 and follow-ups in May, June, and November 2020. Results suggest that while some family relationships suffered during the early days of the crisis, most families displayed resilience in the long-term. Nevertheless, a substantial minority continued to report worsened relationships. Mother’s work from home status and father’s income loss emerged as significant predictors of change in family relationships, highlighting the gendered nature of adaptation to crisis.

Association between intimate partner violence and prenatal anxiety and depression in pregnant women: a cross-sectional survey during the COVID-19 epidemic in Shenzhen, China

OBJECTIVES

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women remains a major global public health problem with harmful consequences for individuals and society. People's lifestyles have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the prevalence of and relationship between IPV and anxiety and depression in pregnant Chinese women during the pandemic.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

This investigation was conducted in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China from 15 September to 15 December 2020.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 3434 pregnant women were screened with the Abuse Assessment Screen Questionnaire to evaluate IPV and General Anxiety Disorder and Patient Health Questionnaire to evaluate symptoms of anxiety and depression, respectively. Pregnant women with perinatal health records at Shenzhen District Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospitals who consented to participate were enrolled. Women with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, mania or substance dependence and pregnant women who refused to participate were excluded. Data were analysed with the χ² test and by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of IPV among pregnant women was 2.2%. Mental violence was the most common type of violence (2.2%), followed by physical (0.6%) and sexual (0.7%) violence. The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms was 9.8% and 6.9%, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, there was a statistically significant association between IPV and prenatal anxiety (OR=4.207, 95% CI: 2.469 to 7.166) and depression (OR=3.864, 95% CI: 2.095 to 7.125).

CONCLUSIONS

IPV increased the risk of prenatal anxiety and depression in pregnant women in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts should be made by the government and civil society to promote long-lasting antenatal interventions to ensure the safety and protect the mental health of pregnant women.

Grit and Life Satisfaction Among College Students During the Recurrent Outbreak of COVID-19 in China: The Mediating Role of Depression and the Moderating Role of Stressful Life Events

The global recurrent outbreak of COVID-19 has brought immense psychological distress to those affected. We conducted this study to explore the relationship among grit, stressful life events, depression, and life satisfaction in college students during the recurrent outbreak of COVID-19. According to the properties of the bias-corrected bootstrap method, we surveyed 888 college students, with an average age of 20.84 (SD = 1.57) years. Participants completed questionnaires regarding grit, depression, stressful life events, and life satisfaction. The results showed that 1) grit was correlated with life satisfaction (r = 0.426, p < 0.001); 2) depression mediated the relationship between grit and life satisfaction [indirect effect = 0.0292, SE = 0.009, 95% CIboot = (0.135, 0.500)]; 3) The relationship between grit and depression was moderated by stressful life events (β = 0.107, SE = 0.028, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.053, 0.161]). The association between grit and depression became weaker for college students with high stressful life events. The results indicated that concerned about depression and stressful life events may be the main targets for improving life satisfaction among college students during the recurrent outbreak of COVID-19.

“Sex as a way to gain some control”: Sexual subjectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted dynamics of sexual health, including sexual subjectivity, or the way in which someone thinks of themself as a sexual being and feels entitled to pleasure. This study examines how adults in the US perceive changes in their sexual subjectivity related to the pandemic. We conducted an online survey ( N = 326), and included thematic analyses related to open-ended questions. The following themes emerged: intentional self-reflection, control of change, control of perspective, control of relationships, control of communication, and control of sexual behavior. Our findings have implications for psychological and public health approaches. We find large overlap of “capacity and engagement in self-reflection” across other themes. The implications and durability of these changes are unknown.

The Perils of the Pandemic for the Tourism and Hospitality Industries: Envisaging the Combined Effect of COVID-19 Fear and Job Insecurity on Employees’ Job Performance in Pakistan

Purpose

This study aims to improve employees’ job performance during COVID-19 pandemic circumstances and demonstrates the impact of COVID-19 fear on hospitality employees’ job performance under the mediating role of job insecurity changes and job loss insecurity.

Methods

The study adopts a quantitative approach, and data were accumulated through a structured questionnaire. In total, 509 valid questionnaires were received from employees working in Pakistan’s hospitality sector. A structural equation model using Smart-PLS software was used to analyze the collected data from the respondents.

Results

The results have identified that COVID-19 fear has a positive and significant influence on job insecurity changes, job loss insecurity, and a negative and significant relationship with job performance. The mediating relationship of job insecurity changes and job loss insecurity negatively significantly influence job performance. Additionally, results indicate a significant relationship between the moderating effect of the COVID-19 vaccines and job insecurity changes, job loss insecurity, and job performance.

Conclusion

The study revealed that employees who perceived their jobs to be insecure during the COVID-19 pandemic tried to cope with the situation, feel healthy, and perform well in their job after getting vaccinated. The study’s findings recommend modifying the employees’ working pattern for organizations. This study enhances the existing literature on the COVID-19 crisis in Pakistan’s hospitality industry. In particular, this study is a novel addition to academia that highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work performance of front desk employees in the hotel and tourism industry.

Teachers’ emotional well-being during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic with long school closures: A large-scale cross-sectional survey in Northern Italy

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the magnitude of emotional burden on teaching staff during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in a significantly impacted region. In addition, the correlates of emotional burden were analysed to enable the design of targeted interventions.

Study design

This study was a cross-sectional survey.

Methods

An electronic survey was administered to the teaching staff at public schools and kindergartens in a specific geographical area. Cross-sectional assessments of pandemic-specific variables were performed using the Pandemic Fatigue Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS)-21, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Resilient Coping Scale. DASS-21 results were compared with results from a parallel survey that was representative of the local general population.

Results

In total, 3251 teaching staff members participated in the survey. Teachers showed a higher emotional burden for depression, anxiety and stress than the general population during the pandemic. According to a linear regression model, this burden is correlated with the language in which the questionnaires were answered, mistrust towards institutions, specific SARS-CoV-2 anxiety, past infection with SARS-CoV-2, avoidance of information about the pandemic and pandemic fatigue; emotional burden was negatively correlated with measures for life satisfaction, resilience and team atmosphere. Some independent variables were shown to contribute differentially to the variance of depression, anxiety or stress.

Conclusions

Emotional distress during the pandemic among teachers is higher than in the general population and correlates with variables that could, at least in principle, be targeted for specific interventions.

How has COVID ‐19 affected sex and fertility?

COVID‐19 pandemic has had an effect on our sex lives, but whether it has an impact on fertility or can be sexually transmitted are yet to be determined.

Physical activity to ameliorate the negative mental health effects of COVID-19-induced confinement

Mental health is strongly affected by physical (PA) and sedentary (SA) activity. In the current study, the relationships of PA and sedentary activity (SA) with mental status amid confinement caused by COVID-19 were examined. The study is self-reporting, survey-based, and cross-sectional in design. The study was conducted in Jordan and included 1744 participants (≥18 years old). The participants' mental status was obtained using the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS). The results showed involvement in both PA and SA during COVID-19-induced confinement. The involvement includes walking (77.2%), running (70.3%), cycling (84.9%), swimming (83.1%), sports (82.9%), weightlifting (86.4%), watching TV (79.4%), using electronics (86.3%), and logging to social media (85.1%). Lower DASS scores were associated (p < 0.05) with lower walking, running, and weightlifting but not (p > 0.05) with cycling and swimming PA. Additionally, DASS scores (p < 0.05) were associated with changes in television viewing but not (p > 0.05) with electronics and social media use during confinement. In conclusion, individuals who experienced higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression were more likely to turn to more PA and less SA. These findings are important and suggest that individuals during confinement find PA a useful strategy to mitigate the negative mental effects of the pandemic.

Epidemiological Study of Infection and Death Due to COVID-19 in Fars Province, Iran, From February to September 2020

Background

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has entered our lives with the fear of outbreak, death, and recurrence. Our objective in this study is to evaluate the epidemiological features of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and death in Fars province, Iran.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 18^th to September 30^th, 2020, where age, history of underlying diseases, sex, community-wide quarantine, nationality, close contact, pregnancy, medical staff job, traveling , and residency were compared between alive and deceased groups. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software, version 22.0, and the significance level was set at 0.05.

Results

Regarding 57958 new cases of COVID-19, the basic reproduction number (R₀) was estimated as 2.8, requiring a minimum of 65% immunization to reach herd immunity. Moreover, an R₀=0.36 was required to reach the endemic state in the region. The incidence, mortality, fatality, and recurrence rates of COVID-19 were estimated as 1347.9 per 100,000 dwellers, 209.5 per 1000,000 dwellers, 1.6 %, and 3.1 per 100,000 dwellers, respectively. Age, history of underlying diseases, urban residency, and the male sex were significantly higher in the deceased group (OR=1.09, 5.48, 1.24, and 1.32; All Ps<0.001, <0.001, 0.005, and <0.001, respectively). In addition, the recurrence rate among positive cases was estimated as 0.23% with a median±inter-quartile range equal to 84±46.25 days. Community-wide quarantine was shown to be a protective factor for death due to COVID-19 (OR=0.58, P=0.005).

Conclusion

Community-wide quarantine blocks the transmission of COVID-19 effectively. COVID-19 enjoys no solid immunity. History of underlying diseases, the male sex, urban residency, and age were among the most significant causes of death due to COVID-19. Further investigations are recommended on the genetic structure of SARS-CoV-2, treatments, and vaccination.

The global prevalence and its associated factors toward domestic violence against women and children during COVID-19 pandemic-"The shadow pandemic": A review of cross-sectional studies

Globally, domestic violence affects women across their life span. Domestic violence against women and children during COVID-19 is a critical and substantial public health issue. This review article was aimed to determine the prevalence and its associated factors toward domestic violence against women and children during COVID-19. Several studies showed that the prevalence of domestic violence against women and children has been alarmingly enlarged during this COVID-19. Domestic violence is a significant and essential problem that is occurring all over the world for many years now, but this condition has been augmented during the lockdown situation because of this pandemic. Women and children of the worldwide are facing twin health emergencies that are COVID-19 and domestic violence. The pandemic was found as a threat to commit domestic violence against women and children. This is because, even though the measurements taken to avoid COVID-19 spread are supportive strategies and also the only opportunity to do so, reducing the risk of COVID-19 was found to raise the risk of domestic violence against women and children. Factors associated with domestic violence against women and children were; being housewives, age < 30 years, marriage, husband's age being between 31 and 40 years, physical victimization, and sexual victimization were factors associated with domestic violence. Depression, spending more time in close contact, job losses, financial insecurity, lockdowns, addiction (alcohol or drugs), control of wealth in the family, technology, and quarantine were factors considered as risk factors for domestic violence. This review will serve as a "call to action" to address this crisis effectively by coming together since this crisis is the global aspect. This is a shadow pandemic growing during this COVID-19 crisis and a global collective effort is needed to prevent it. The life of women and children moves from their needs to their rights during this pandemic. It is essential to undertake urgent actions to intervene in it.

Intimate Partner Violence in the COVID-19 Era: A Health, Psychological, Forensic and Legal Perspective

This commentary aims to provide a multidisciplinary framework on intimate partner violence (IPV) during the COVID-19 pandemic (with a specific focus on the most predominant form of gender-based violence, i.e., male violence towards women), commenting on the multiple negative consequences of the pandemic on gender violence and providing elements of effective practice. We searched literature for reports/studies on the issue of IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on health, psychological, forensic, and legal aspects. The combined effects of lockdowns, isolation at home with abusive partners, quarantine, and economic worries/loss of a job could significantly facilitate violence against women and, at the same time, diminish women’s chances to seek for help, with a strong negative impact on their life. The continued offer of clinical, psychological, forensic, and legal services for survivors of violence, despite the modifications to the provision of these services due to the new needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, appears of utmost importance. All actions to support survivors of IPV are expected to be multidisciplinary, including the involvement of social and/or legal services and health systems, and woman-centred. Implementing these measures in the COVID-19 era appears challenging but is of primary importance.

Domestic violence and associated factors during COVID-19 epidemic: an online population-based study in Iran

Background

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 has severely affected communities around the world. Fear and stress of being infected, along with pressure caused by lockdown, prevention protocols, and the economic downturn, increased tension among people, which consequently led to the rise of domestic violence (DV). Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the rate of change in DV and its associated factors during the COVID-19 epidemic in Shiraz, Iran.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 653 individuals with the age of over 15 years from Shiraz were participated through snowball sampling and filled out an online questionnaire through the WhatsApp platform. A 51-item, self-administered and multidimensional (knowledge, attitude, and practice) questionnaire was designed and assessed 653 participants. The gathered data was analyzed using SPSS software (version 25), and variables with a p-value of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

In this study, 64.2% of the respondents were within the age range of 31–50 years, and 72.6% of the subjects were female. Furthermore, 73.8 and 73.0% of the individuals were married and educated for over 12 years, respectively. The DV increased by 37.5% during the quarantine period, compared to before the pandemic. The emotional type was the most common type of violence; the sexual type was the least frequent. Multivariate analysis indicated that infection with COVID-19, drug use, high level of co-living observation of anti-COVID prevention protocols, and lower level of physical activity during the quarantine period had a positive and significant association with the occurrence of DV.

Conclusion

Based on the obtained results, it is required to implement effective harm-reduction policies and measures in the community due to the increasing rate of DV during the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Impact of Maternal Prenatal Stress Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic during the First 1000 Days: A Historical Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on society, particularly affecting its vulnerable members, including pregnant women and their unborn children. Pregnant mothers reported fear of infection, fear of vertical transmission, fear of poor birth and child outcomes, social isolation, uncertainty about their partner's presence during medical appointments and delivery, increased domestic abuse, and other collateral damage, including vaccine hesitancy. Accordingly, pregnant women's known vulnerability for mental health problems has become a concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, also because of the known effects of prenatal stress for the unborn child. The current narrative review provides a historical overview of transgenerational effects of exposure to disasters during pregnancy, and the role of maternal prenatal stress. We place these effects into the perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hereby, we aim to draw attention to the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women of reproductive age (15-49 year) and its potential associated short-term and long-term consequences for the health of children who are conceived, carried, and born during this pandemic. Timely detection and intervention during the first 1000 days is essential to reduce the burden of transgenerational effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Technology-Based Mental Health Interventions for Domestic Violence Victims Amid COVID-19

Introduction: Domestic violence is a threat to human dignity and public health. Mounting evidence shows that domestic violence erodes personal and public health, spawning issues such as lifelong mental health challenges. To further compound the situation, COVID-19 and societies’ poor response to the pandemic have not only worsened the domestic violence crisis but also disrupted mental health services for domestic violence victims. While technology-based health solutions can overcome physical constraints posed by the pandemic and offer timely support to address domestic violence victims’ mental health issues, there is a dearth of research in the literature. To bridge the research gap, in this study, we aim to examine technology-based mental health solutions for domestic violence victims amid COVID-19. Methods: A literature review was conducted to examine solutions that domestic violence victims can utilize to safeguard and improve their mental health amid COVID-19. Databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus were utilized for the literature search. The search was focused on four themes: domestic violence, mental health, technology-based interventions, and COVID-19. A reverse search of pertinent references was conducted in Google Scholar. The social ecological model was utilized to systematically structure the review findings. Results: The findings show that a wide array of technology-based solutions has been proposed to address mental health challenges faced by domestic violence victims amid COVID-19. However, none of these proposals is based on empirical evidence amid COVID-19. In terms of social and ecological levels of influence, most of the interventions were developed on the individual level, as opposed to the community level or social level, effectively placing the healthcare responsibility on the victims rather than government and health officials. Furthermore, most of the articles failed to address risks associated with utilizing technology-based interventions (e.g., privacy issues) or navigating the online environment (e.g., cyberstalking). Conclusion: Overall, our findings highlight the need for greater research endeavors on the research topic. Although technology-based interventions have great potential in resolving domestic violence victims’ mental health issues, risks associated with these health solutions should be comprehensively acknowledged and addressed.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on incidence of maxillofacial fractures: A retrospective analysis

COVID-19 lockdown restrictions greatly influenced people's behaviour and movements, and therefore patient presentation may differ in maxillofacial trauma surgery during lockdown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a lockdown on the incidence, types and mechanisms of injury of maxillofacial fractures. In this single-centre retrospective cohort study patients who visited the maxillofacial surgeon after traumatic injury between 15 March and 1 June in the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 were included. The primary outcome is the incidence of maxillofacial fractures during the lockdown in 2020 compared to the pre-lockdown and post-lockdown periods. Secondary outcomes are type of fracture and mechanism of injury. A total of 130 patients with maxillofacial fractures were identified. During the lockdown 0.51 (95% CI 0.32–0.84) times less maxillofacial fractures were reported. A significant association was found between mechanism of injury and lockdown compared to the post-lockdown period. No further associations were found between a lockdown and type of fracture or mechanism of injury. In conclusion, the incidence of maxillofacial fractures was significantly lower compared to equivalent time periods in other years, but recovered after lockdown.

Silver linings: Observed reductions in aggression and use of restraints and seclusion in psychiatric inpatient care during COVID-19

WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUBJECT?: In a survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the summer of 2020, 93% of countries worldwide acknowledged negative impacts on their mental health services. Previous research during the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 established an increase of patient aggression in psychiatric facilities. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Despite expected worsening of mental health, our hospital observed reductions in aggressive behaviour among inpatients and subsequent use of coercive interventions by staff in the months following Covid-19 pandemic restrictions being implemented. The downward trend in incidents observed during the pandemic has suggested that aggression in mental health hospitals may be more situation-specific and less so a factor of mental illness. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: We believe that the reduction in aggressive behaviour observed during the pandemic is related to changes in our organization that occurred in response to concerns about patient well-being; our co-design approach shifted trust, choice and power. Therefore, practices that support these constructs are needed to maintain the outcomes we experienced. Rather than return to normal in the wake of the pandemic, we are strongly encouraged to sustain the changes we made and continue to find better ways to support and work with the individuals who rely on or use our services. ABSTRACT: The global COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the operation of health care such that many services were put on hold as patients were triaged differently, people delayed seeking care, and transition to virtual care was enacted, including in psychiatric facilities. Most of the media dialogue has been negative; however, there have been some silver linings observed. Coinciding with the pandemic has been a reduction in aggressive incidents at our psychiatric hospital, along with the decreased need to use restraints and seclusion to manage behaviour. In this paper, we are taking stock of the changes that have occurred in response to the pandemic in an attempt to share our learnings and offer suggestions so that health care does not necessarily return to "normal".

Exploring the Challenges of Afghan Refugee Women Facing COVID-19: A Qualitative Study in Iran

Objective

Afghan refugee women in Iran confront many problems in dealing with COVID-19 due to their fragile conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the challenges of Afghan refugee women in the face of COVID-19 in Iran with a qualitative approach.

Methods

The present study was conducted with a qualitative approach among Afghan refugee women in Iran. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews and were saturated with 30 women. Both targeted and snowball sampling were used. Data were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis and Graneheim and Lundman method. Guba and Lincoln criteria were observed to evaluate the quality of research results.

Results

143 primary codes, 12 subcategories and five main categories were obtained from data analysis. The main categories include little knowledge and information (limited access to information resources, incomplete knowledge about COVID-19), family challenges (intensified experience of violence and conflict in the family, problems related to childbirth and pregnancy), socio-economic challenges (exacerbation of economic problems, high-risk living conditions, social isolation, limited support of social and health organizations), health issues (problems related to treatment, injustice in providing services and facilities) and problems after the death of a COVID-19 patient (burial challenges for immigrants; lack of funeral rites).

Conclusion

Afghan refugee women in Iran are very vulnerable facing COVID-19 due to their fragile conditions. Social and health institutions and organizations need to provide more support to these women so that they can protect their health and that of their families against COVID-19 and the damage caused by it.

Domestic violence against married women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt

BACKGROUND

In face of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries including Egypt implemented stay indoor rules. These regulations slowed the propagation of the coronavirus, meanwhile they contributed to increase mental health issues, particularly the risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). That might lead to adverse health and social outcomes on the abused women and the children. This study aimed to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of intimate partner violence against married women in Egypt.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study enrolled 2068 married women through an electronic survey link. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used. It included demographic data and assessed the frequency of exposure to various forms of spousal violence before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

The mean age of respondents was 33.8 ± 6.3 years. The commonest types of violent behaviors that have been increased significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic were: twisting arms/pulling the hair (pre 32.8%, post 75%), leaving the house without informing or giving the wife money (pre 12.2%, post 30.3%), restricting interaction with her family members (pre 26.1, post 40.4%), treating her as a servant (pre 28.7%, post 36.7%) and insulting her in front of others (pre 22.9%, post 30.8%).The associated determinants for higher violence rate were; low women education, young age at marriage, low educational and job rank of husband, husband's tobacco use and reduced family income (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The overall prevalence of economic and some types of physical and emotionally abusive behaviors have been increased after the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. Special intervention should be designed to address this issue in collaboration with public health organizations.

Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perceived Changes in Psychological Vulnerability, Resilience and Social Cohesion before, during and after Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns have posed unique and severe challenges to our global society. To gain an integrative understanding of pervasive social and mental health impacts in 3522 Berlin residents aged 18 to 65, we systematically investigated the structural and temporal relationship between a variety of psychological indicators of vulnerability, resilience and social cohesion before, during and after the first lockdown in Germany using a retrospective longitudinal study design. Factor analyses revealed that (a) vulnerability and resilience indicators converged on one general bipolar factor, (b) residual variance of resilience indicators formed a distinct factor of adaptive coping capacities and (c) social cohesion could be reliably measured with a hierarchical model including four first-order dimensions of trust, a sense of belonging, social interactions and social engagement, and one second-order social cohesion factor. In the second step, latent change score models revealed that overall psychological vulnerability increased during the first lockdown and decreased again during re-opening, although not to baseline levels. Levels of social cohesion, in contrast, first decreased and then increased again during re-opening. Furthermore, participants who increased in vulnerability simultaneously decreased in social cohesion and adaptive coping during lockdown. While higher pre-lockdown levels of social cohesion predicted a stronger lockdown effect on mental health, individuals with higher social cohesion during the lockdown and positive change in coping abilities and social cohesion during re-opening showed better mental health recovery, highlighting the important role of social capacities in both amplifying but also overcoming the multiple challenges of this collective crisis.

Social Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES

To provide a systematic review of the social consequences of COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

In the present study, articles indexed in Persian and Latin databases (Web Of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar and Magiran). 43 documents published in the last 3 years in Persian or English language were reviewed. The research steps were performed according to PRISMA writing standard and the quality assessment was done by two researchers independently with Newcastle Ottawa Scale tools for observational studies according to the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Measures to break the chain of virus transmission and to control the COVID-19 pandemic have caused major problems in the economic, social, political and psychological spheres and have affected billions of people worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has caused widespread unrest in society and unprecedented changes in lifestyle, work and social interactions, and increasing social distance has severely affected human relations.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic has social consequences in certain groups can exacerbate their unfavorable situation. Special groups in crisis situations should be given more attention, and clear and precise policies and programs should be developed to support them.

Maxillofacial Trauma and COVID-19: A Review of the First 6 Months of the Pandemic

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Objective

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in late December 2019 has spread globally resulting in a pandemic of respiratory illness. The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology of maxillofacial trauma at an urban trauma center.

Methods

The study sample was derived from the population of patients who presented for evaluation and management of maxillofacial injuries at TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee beginning March 1, 2020 and ending August 31, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were calculated for study variables in each cohort with significance set at P < .05.

Results

The number of subjects in the 2020 cohort (n = 212) was 4.2% higher than the 2019 cohort (n = 203). Volume decreased 24.5% during the initial phase of the pandemic with a 36.1% increase in volume occurring during the reopening phase (P = .003). Volume related to interpersonal decreased 52.4% during the initial phase of the pandemic with a rebound increase of 30% during reopening (P = .005).

Conclusion

The first case of COVID-19 presented in Nashville, Tennessee in early March 2020. Over the next 6 months, periods of lockdown and reopening transpired. The volume of maxillofacial trauma decreased during the initial 3-months of the pandemic and rebounded to volumes greater than the year prior.

Reasons for Suicide Attempts in South India during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: By increasing the risk of isolation, fear, stigma, abuse, and economic fallout, COVID-19 has led to an increase in the risk of psychiatric disorders, chronic trauma, and stress. These factors eventually increase suicidality and suicidal behavior. This study intends to evaluate the reasons for suicide attempts due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the south Indian population.Design: Cross-sectional studySetting: The study was conducted in R. L. Jalappa Hospital and Research Centre, Kolar.Participants: This study was conducted on 91 patients admitted to the general medicine department for a suicide attempt because of the COVID 19 pandemic.Methods: A single examiner conducted a structured interview with a pretested questionnaire with each participant. Participants were asked to indicate the primary reason or motivation for their suicide attempt. Patients answered a set of questions regarding personal and family concerns (marginalization, fear and uncertainty, domestic abuse, loneliness, grief over loss of loved one) and work-related concerns (economic fallout, high-risk environment, shortage of personnel and personal protective equipment [PPE]). We employed mean and standard deviation to descriptively analyze quantitative variables. Categorical variables were expressed in terms of frequency and proportion. For non-normally-distributed quantitative parameters, medians and interquartile range (IQR) were compared across study groups using the Kruskal-Wallis test (> 2 groups). Data was analyzed using coGuide software, V.1.03.Results: The mean age of participants was 29.47±11.06 years, the majority (43.63%) of which were aged between 21 to 40 years of age. The majority (72.53%) of participants reported personal and family concerns as reasons/motivation for suicide, whereas only 17.58% reported work-related concerns. There was a statistically significant difference across reason or motivation for suicide with age (in years) and gender (P value < 0.001).Conclusion: The study concluded that more than half of the patients indicated personal and family concerns as the major reason for suicide attempts during the pandemic. It is vital to emphasize the mental health well-being of the population and take proactive steps to minimize its detrimental effects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health during Lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: This study took place in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The present research assesses the association between lockdown conditions (such as time spent at home, living environment, proximity to contamination and social contacts), mental health (including intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety and depression) and intimate partner violence within the community. This study evaluates the indirect effect of anxiety and depression on the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and intimate partner violence (physical assault and psychological aggression). Methods: 1532 adults (80.8% of women, Mage = 35.34) were recruited from the Belgian general population through an online self-report questionnaire completed during the lockdown (from April 17 to 1 May 2020). Results: The results demonstrate that the prevalence of physical assault (including both perpetration and victimization) was significantly higher in men, whereas the prevalence of psychological aggression was significantly higher in women. Men reported significantly more violence during lockdown. Women, on the other hand, were more anxious and more intolerant of uncertainty. No difference between men and women was found for depression. Anxiety and depression significantly mediated the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and physical assault and psychological aggression. Sex did not moderate the mediation. Conclusion: Clinical implications for public health policy are highlighted.

Prevalence and its predictors of intimate partner violence against pregnant women amid COVID-19 pandemic in Southwest Ethiopia, 2021: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Preventive measures like staying-at-home and social distancing are among the top strategies on the list to avert the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 and its consequences. However, this strategy brings off another shadow pandemic of intimate partner violence against women, and no study has been done to assess the magnitude of intimate partner violence against pregnant women during the pandemic in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence and its predictors in Southwest Ethiopia amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted, from 15 June 2021 to 15 August 2021, on a total of 590 pregnant women recruited by systematic random sampling techniques. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collect data, and the data were entered using EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 24. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of intimate partner violence. Finally, statistical significance was declared at a p-value <0.05.

RESULTS

The prevalence of intimate partner violence was 39.2%. Of this, 29.8%, 26.8%, and 22.2% of the pregnant women had experienced physical, sexual, and emotional intimate partner violence, respectively. Being illiterate (adjusted odds ratio = 2.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.33-4.19), having illiterate husbands (adjusted odds ratio = 4.79, 95% confidence interval: 2.69-8.55), household decisions made by the husband alone (adjusted odds ratio = 4.91, 95% confidence interval: 3.74-9.33), and pandemic-induced economic downturns (adjusted odds ratio = 9.03, 95% confidence interval: 5.18-15.98) were the predictors that were significantly associated with intimate partner violence.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of intimate partner violence against pregnant women during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has been found to be high in the study area. Thus, more efforts should be tried to integrating intimate partner violence screening in maternal and child healthcare services, and early identification of high-risk individuals, and continuous community-based awareness creation activities are recommended.