Coronaphobia and chronophobia - A psychiatric perspective

Psychoemotional Disorders and Sleep Impairments in Patients with COVID-19

Objectives. To study the prevalence of anxious-depressive disorders and sleep impairments in their structure among patients hospitalized with the new coronavirus infections (COVID-19) and to develop differential guidelines for their treatment in COVID-19 patients. Materials and methods. This report presents preliminary results from our own observations. We report here analysis of data from 119 patients (age 47–69 years, male and female) obtained at detailed interviews, including using telemedicine technologies, with evaluation on the following scales: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) for subjective assessment of asthenia, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results. Results on the HADS indicated that clinically severe anxious-depressive symptomatology was seen in 33 of 119 patients (28%) hospitalized with diagnoses of COVID-19: of these, 11% of cases (n = 13) showed clinical signs of significant anxiety only, while five (4%) showed clinically significant depression and 13% displayed increases on both the anxiety and depression subscales (n = 15). Increases on the MFI-20 scale (>20 points) were seen in 87 patients (73%) and sleep impairments on the PSQI were recorded in 32 patients (27%). Conclusions. The results of this study showed that most patients with COVID-19 had not only depressive symptomatology, but also anxious and hypochondriac disorders, asthenic symptom complex, and sleep impairments with difficulty going to sleep and poor sleep quality. Differential guidelines were developed for the treatment of these states taking account of the side effects of the drugs prescribed, interactions between drugs, and the features of the patients’ somatic condition. Drug selection must be based on the severity of the impairments found.

The prevalence of coronaphobia among nursing staff in Saudi Arabia

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Fear of COVID-19 among the Indian youth: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease is a highly infectious and fatal disease. It has caused distress in the form of fear, and anxiety among masses including youth. The psychosocial health of youth is important to build resilient nations after the pandemic is over.This study aimed to capture the level of COVID-19 fear among youth studying in a northern Indian university and to compare it with demographic variables.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study (April-May 2020) conducted among university students in North India. Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) was used for online survey using Google Forms. FCV-19S is a reliable tool for assessing the fear of COVID-19 among the general population. Descriptive statistics and principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 521 responses were recorded. The majority (78%) of the participants were in the age group of 18-23 years and more than half (57%) were pursuing graduation. The respondents belonged to 16 states and union territories in the country. A total of 17% reported severe fear, while a few reported moderate (17%) or mild (11%) fear on the FCV-19S. No respondent could be categorized with "no fear" based on the overall FCV-19S score. Approximately, 42% of respondents were nervous after watching news/social media posts about COVID-19. Based on PCA, factor 1 labeled as anxiety toward COVID-19, factor 2 media effect on shaping of fear, and factor 3 thanatophobia as contributing factors for fear among youth.

CONCLUSIONS

Reflection of fear among youth suggests that adequate knowledge about COVID-19, preventive steps, treatment options, etc., may be planned to allay fears among youth.

Subjective Feelings of Polish Doctors after Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused enormous confusion around the world in our daily existence. The security measures taken, such as physical distance, wearing a mask, quarantine or closing shopping malls, and even isolating large groups of the population, did not contribute to the complete overcoming of the problem. Information on the positive results of research into the COVID-19 vaccine and, finally, its administration offered hope that the pandemic would be overcome. The undertaken problem of research concerning the subjective analysis of the feelings of doctors in Poland after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine shows an important area of the medical world, which is directly responsible for their own health and the patients entrusted to them. In addition, 149 people participated in the study (8-13 February 2021), including 57% of women and 43% of men. The minimum and maximum age of the respondents are 26 and 69 years old. Furthermore, 85% of respondents took two doses of the vaccine and 15% took one. The authorial questionnaire was completed by the participants in the study online in February 2021. The results obtained indicate that the COVID-19 vaccine generates hope for stopping the pandemic. In addition, 96% of research participants think so. Doctors in middle and mature age are the most optimistic, while the youngest ones are less optimistic. In addition, 57% of respondents do not worry about side effects after taking the vaccine. Fear at the time of vaccination was experienced by over 9% of doctors. The most frequently reported post-vaccination reactions are injection site pain, fatigue and headache. Increased temperature occurred in older female respondents. From a psychosocial perspective, men are more likely to fear being infected personally with the virus, and women are more likely to be infected with their loved ones. The presented subjective assessment presents the physicians' view captured at the moment in terms of existential and emotional. The presented feelings of the research participants reflect their personal satisfaction, responsibility for their own health, care for their relatives and patients.

[COVID-19 effect on mental health and sleep disorders]

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

To study the prevalence of anxiety-depressive disorders and sleep disorders in their structure among patients hospitalized in connection with COVID-19, as well as to develop differentiated recommendations for their therapy in patients with new coronavirus infection.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this publication, the authors present preliminary results of their own observations of psychoemotional disorders and sleep disorders in their structure in patients with a new coronavirus infection. We analyzed the data of 119 patients (aged 47 to 69 years, male and female), conducted a detailed interview, including using telemedicine technologies, and assessed the scales: The hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), subjective the asthenia rating scale (MFI-20, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire.

RESULTS

According to the results of the HADS questionnaire, clinically pronounced anxiety-depressive symptoms were observed in 33 (28%) patients of 119 hospitalized in connection with the diagnosis of COVID-19. Of them, only clinically significant anxiety was recorded in 11% of cases (n=13), in 5 (4%) patients - clinically significant depression, an increase in both subscales of anxiety and depression - in 13% (n=15). An increase in the MFI-20 scale (more than 20 points) was found in 87 (73%) patients, sleep disorders in accordance with the PSQI questionnaire was recorded in 32 (27%) patients.

CONCLUSION

According to the results of the study, it was noted that in most patients with COVID-19, along with a depressive symptom complex, anxiety and hypochondriacal disorders, an asthenic symptom complex, sleep disturbances with difficulty falling asleep, and dissatisfaction with the quality of sleep are recorded. Differentiated recommendations for the treatment of the studied conditions have been developed, taking into account the side effects of the prescribed drugs, drug interactions and the characteristics of the somatic status of patients. The choice of the drug should be based on the severity of the violations identified.

Eudemonia and Mental Bienaise in the Wake of COVID-19!: A Decalogue for Building Up Resilience

ABSTRACT

In the aftermath of COVID-19, it sounds equally important, on the part of mental health providers to undertake the onerous duty of promoting resilience, to empower individuals, foster their own natural strengths, and help them incorporate new coping strategies into their everyday lives at this exceptional moment of hardship.

Living alone in lockdown: Impact on mental health and coping mechanisms among young working adults

In the wake of declaration of Covid-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the Prime Minister of India announced a nationwide lockdown to curb its spread. Subsequently, some groups of people found themselves away from their family or friends, and were unable to return to them. The aim of the research was to explore the lives of young adults who were living alone and working, during the lockdown in India. Focus was on their daily living, their relationships and their mental health. Twelve participants residing in various cities of India were included via the Internet. Focus group discussions were used to attain the objectives of the study. The data that emerged from the discussions, was analysed using thematic analysis. All participants had experienced different kinds of disruptions in their life due to the lockdown. This effect was mediated by their financial situation, their general comfort and preference for living alone, media, opportunities for non-virtual interactions and other kinds of recreation, quality of relationships and more. Though there were similarities in their coping methods, their perspective on the lockdown, the meaning they attributed to their current situation and their vision for their future was unique.

Understanding coronaphobia

COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to being a global health emergency, has multiple socioeconomic and psychological ramifications. COVID-19 research and media reports have revealed a rise in fears related to contracting the virus. Though fear is a common psychological outcome during pandemics, the COVID-19 pandemic is a continuously evolving disease outbreak and has unique risk factors. Therefore, fear related to COVID-19 might manifest in not only fear and anxiety related to disease contraction and dying, but also associated sociooccupational stress. We attempt to understand the psychosocial process of the development of coronaphobia and postulate what constitutes coronaphobia, a new emerging phobia specific to COVID-19. We present a conceptual model delineating the risk factors causing coronaphobia and the underlying mechanisms, for a better understanding of its developmental process. From review of relevant research, the factors identified are, an unforeseen reality, unending uncertainties, need of acquiring new practices and avoidance behavior, loss of faith in health infrastructure, contraction of COVID-19 by head of states, cautionary statements from international bodies, and infodemia. These factors are assumed to cause interference with routine life, catastrophizing interpretation of benign symptoms, and social amplification of risk which lead to coronaphobia. The conceptualization of coronaphobia and the model will aid future research in developing psychometric measure of coronaphobia for use in clinical and research settings and design of policies and interventions for mitigating risk factors.

Mental Health Screening for COVID-19: a Proposed Cutoff Score for the Greek Version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S)

The COVID-19 pandemic elicited fear. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) is a newly developed self-reported measure, originally developed in Persian to assess COVID-19-related fear. To date, the scale has been translated and validated in 19 other languages, among which Greek. This study, conducted through an online survey, aimed to further explore the validity of the Greek FCV-19S version, as well as to identify appropriate cutoff scores. A total of 538 respondents completed the sociodemographic data sheet, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, the Short Health Anxiety Inventory, and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder-8 inventory. According to the results, a cutoff point score of 16.5 or higher revealed a significant predictive power for anxiety, health anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Altogether, although the cutoff scores of the Greek FCV-19S version were explored to further evaluate the scale’s validity, they may facilitate discrimination of adults with extreme COVID-19-related fear from those with normal fear reactions.