Qualitative Investigation into the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Applying Critical Discourse Analysis to Cross-Cultural Mental Health Recovery Research

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how critical discourse analysis (CDA) frameworks can be used in cross-cultural mental health recovery research. CDA is a qualitative approach that critically appraises how language contributes to producing and reinforcing social inequalities. CDA regards linguistic productions as reflecting, consciously or unconsciously, the narrators' understandings of, or attitudes about, phenomena. Mental health recovery research aims to identify and address power differentials, making CDA a potentially relevant approach. However, CDA frameworks have not been widely applied to mental health recovery research. We adapted established CDA frameworks to our cross-cultural mental health recovery study. The adapted methodology comprises (1) selecting discourses that indicate positive changes and (2) considering sociocultural practices informed by relevant cultural characteristics identified in our previous research, without placing value judgments. Our adapted framework can support cross-cultural mental health recovery research that uses CDA.

28-country global study on associations between cultural characteristics and Recovery College fidelity

Recovery Colleges (RCs) are learning-based mental health recovery communities, located globally. However, evidence on RC effectiveness outside Western, educated, industrialised, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) countries is limited. This study aimed to evaluate associations between cultural characteristics and RC fidelity, to understand how culture impacts RC operation. Service managers from 169 RCs spanning 28 WEIRD and non-WEIRD countries assessed the fidelity using the RECOLLECT Fidelity Measure, developed based upon key RC operation components. Hofstede's cultural dimension scores were entered as predictors in linear mixed-effects regression models, controlling for GDP spent on healthcare and Gini coefficient. Higher Individualism and Indulgence, and lower Uncertainty Avoidance were associated with higher fidelity, while Long-Term Orientation was a borderline negative predictor. RC operations were predominantly aligned with WEIRD cultures, highlighting the need to incorporate non-WEIRD cultural perspectives to enhance RCs' global impact. Findings can inform the refinement and evaluation of mental health recovery interventions worldwide.

Validation of the Japanese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4-J) to screen for depression and anxiety

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to validate the Japanese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4-J). People in Japan, especially healthcare workers (HCWs) suffer from high rates of mental health symptoms. The PHQ-4 is an established ultra-brief mental health measure used in various settings, populations and languages. The Japanese version of the PHQ-4 has not been validated.

METHODS

Two hundred eighty people in Japan (142 HCWs and 138 from the general public) responded to the PHQ-4-J. Internal consistency, and factorial validity were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) models.

RESULTS

Internal consistency was high (α = 0.70-0.86). CFA yielded very good fit indices for a two-factor solution (RMSEA = 0.04, 95% CI 0.00-0.17) and MIMIC models indicated the performance differed between HCWs and the general population.

CONCLUSIONS

The PHQ-4-J is a reliable ultra-brief scale for depression and anxiety in Japanese, which can be used to meet current needs in mental health research and practice in Japan. Disaster research and gerontology research can benefit from this scale, enabling mental health assessment with little participant burden. In practice, early detection and personalised care can be facilitated by using the scale. Future research should target specific populations in Japan during a non-emergency time.

Revisiting the prevalence of psychological symptoms among health care workers in Saudi Arabia during COVID-19

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the existing literature on the prevalence of psychological symptoms in healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The review will evaluate the assessment methods used for measuring the prevalence of psychological symptoms and critically review the literature's findings concerning psychological support for HCWs.

METHODS

All articles were selected from the PubMed database and reviewed for potential inclusion in March 2023. The articles were screened following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocol. Assessment of the quality and risk of bias in the included studies was guided using the prevalence critical appraisal tool criteria.

RESULTS

We identified 7 articles that investigated the prevalence of psychological symptoms among HCWs in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. We determined the studies' characteristics and classified and explained various themes. These themes included the prevalence of psychological symptoms found in HCWs, the study designs, the tools used to assess psychological symptoms in HCWs, and the potential impact of the studies on the mental health challenges faced by HCWs due to COVID-19. We also examined the quality and risk of bias in the included studies.

CONCLUSION

This review's findings provide valuable insights into the psychological symptoms experienced by HCWs during the pandemic. To ensure the consistency of the results, it is essential to reevaluate the prevalence of these symptoms and use a culturally sensitive approach to translating the measures. This review lays the groundwork for future research on psychological symptoms and the interpretation of measurement outcomes.PROSPERO No. ID: CRD42024479813.

Exploration of Mental Health and Well-Being of Healthcare Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

In response to curbing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, healthcare professionals (HCPs) encounter a multitude of mental stresses. The primary intent was to explore the mental health and well-being experienced by HCPs in Ekiti State, Nigeria, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Data were analyzed using inductive qualitative methodology. The study was undertaken among HCPs in two teaching hospitals in Ekiti State during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Convenience sampling techniques were employed to select participants for this study. A comprehensive interview ranging from 30 to 50 minutes per participant was administered to a sample of 14 HCPs (doctors and nurses) representing various departments within the hospital. The interviews were conducted between March 2020 and May 2020. COVID-19 stressful situations, the physiological consequences of stress, personality, disposition, stress management techniques, and coping mechanisms were evaluated.

Results

The study outcomes indicate that a significant proportion of HCPs currently face mental well-being. The primary sources of stress identified in this study included heavy workloads and pressure from social media platforms and government agencies. The outbreak crisis significantly influenced on their lives and work, with the fear of catching diseases and their anxiety about spreading infections to their loved ones.

Conclusions

HCPs require a secure working environment during the current circumstances, along with an enhanced support system to alleviate stressors. This study contributes to a significant proportion of HCPs currently facing stress.

Mechanisms Explaining the Longitudinal Effect of Psychosocial Safety Climate on Work Engagement and Emotional Exhaustion among Education and Healthcare Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the education and healthcare sectors were severely affected. There is a need to investigate the ways in which these workers in at-risk sectors can be protected and through what mechanisms. The aims of this research are, therefore, (1) to assess the mediating role of job demands and resources in the relationship between psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and work engagement and emotional exhaustion, and (2) to test for sector-specific differences among education and healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the study, which employed a longitudinal design including three measurement times, 70 education professionals and 69 healthcare professionals completed a questionnaire measuring PSC, psychological demands, social support, recognition, work engagement, and emotional exhaustion. The results show that PSC was significantly higher among education professionals than among healthcare professionals. When considering both job sectors together, mediation analyses show that social support mediates the PSC-work engagement relationship, while psychological demands mediate the PSC-emotional exhaustion relationship. Moderated mediation analyses show that job sector is a moderator: among education professionals, colleague support and recognition mediate the PSC-work engagement relationship, and psychological demands mediate the PSC-emotional exhaustion relationship. PSC is associated with more balanced job demands and resources, higher work engagement, and lower emotional exhaustion among education and healthcare professionals. The study of these two sectors, which are both vital to society but also more exposed to adverse work conditions, shows the importance that managers and executives must attach to their mental health by improving their respective working conditions.

Would've, could've, should've: a cross-sectional investigation of whether and how healthcare staff's working conditions and mental health symptoms have changed throughout 3 pandemic years

OBJECTIVES

Mental health and well-being of healthcare staff were majorly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Little attention has been devoted to the role employers could choose to play in mitigating long-term negative consequences and how effective organisational measures taken were perceived by the individual healthcare workers. This study aims to investigate (1) whether and how healthcare professionals' mental health has changed from the second to the third pandemic year, (2) whether differences between professional groups (physicians, nurses, paramedics) identified in previous studies persisted and (3) how job demands and resources, for example, work culture and employers' measures, impacted this situation.

DESIGN

The study employs an observational, cross-sectional design, using an online survey.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The study was conducted online from mid-June to mid-August 2022 among healthcare staff in state-run and private healthcare facilities, such as doctor's practices, hospitals and paramedic organisations, in Germany and Austria (n=421).

OUTCOME MEASURES

We measured psychological strain using an ICD-10-based symptom checklist, as well as subjective strain and importance of stressors using self-report questions. The ICD-10 was the 10th version of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, a widely used standardized diagnostic manual.

RESULTS

Psychological strain stayed relatively consistent, with nursing staff suffering the most. While the job demands participants felt most affected by were structural issues (eg, staff shortages), employers were far more likely to be perceived as taking action against pandemic-specific job demands (eg, lack of protective gear). Psychological strain was lowest when staff perceived employers' actions as effective. Only 60% of those with severe enough symptoms to require psychological help had intentions of seeking such help, which is in line with past studies. This help-seeking hesitancy was also dependent on different facets of perceived work culture.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare staff and nursing staff in particular continue to suffer in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while employers were perceived as taking action against pandemic-specific job demands, pre-existing job demands causing stress and psychological strain for staff have remained uncombatted.

Development of the UPSIDES global mental health training programme for peer support workers: Perspectives from stakeholders in low, middle and high-income countries

BACKGROUND

Peer support in mental health is a low-threshold intervention with increasing evidence for enhancing personal recovery and empowerment of persons living with severe mental health conditions. As peer support spreads globally, there is a growing need for peer support training programmes that work well in different contexts and cultures. This study evaluates the applicability and transferability of implementing a manualised multi-national training programme for mental health peer support workers called UPSIDES from the perspective of different local stakeholders in high-, middle-, and low-income countries.

METHOD

Data from seven focus groups across six study sites in Africa (Tanzania, Uganda), Asia (India, Israel), and Europe (Germany 2 sites) with 44 participants (3 service users, 7 peer support workers, 25 mental health staff members, 6 clinical directors and 3 local community stakeholders) were thematically analysed.

RESULTS

397 codes were identified, which were thematically analysed. Five implementation enablers were identified: (i) Enhancing applicability through better guidance and clarity of training programme management, (ii) provision of sufficient time for training, (iii) addressing negative attitudes towards peer support workers by additional training of organisations and staff, (iv) inclusion of core components in the training manual such as communication skills, and (v) addressing cultural differences of society, mental health services and discrimination of mental health conditions.

DISCUSSION

Participants in all focus groups discussed the implementation of the training and peer support intervention to a greater extent than the content of the training. This is in line with growing literature of difficulties in the implementation of peer support including difficulties in hiring peer support workers, lack of funding, and lack of role clarity. The results of this qualitative study with stakeholders from different mental health settings worldwide emphasises the need to further investigate the successful implementation of peer support training. All results have been incorporated into the manualisation of the UPSIDES peer support training.

"Trust people you've never worked with" - A social network visualization of teamwork, cohesion, social support, and mental health in NHS Covid personnel

Background

The unprecedented rapid re-deployment of healthcare workers from different care pathways into newly created and fluid COVID-19 teams provides a unique opportunity to examine the interaction of many of the established non-technical factors for successful delivery of clinical care and teamwork in healthcare settings. This research paper therefore aims to address these gaps by qualitatively exploring the impact of COVID work throughout the pandemic on permanent and deployed personnel's experiences, their ability to effectively work together, and the effect of social dynamics (e.g., cohesion, social support) on teamwork and mental health.

Methods

Seventy-five interviews were conducted across the UK between March and December 2021 during wave 2 and 3 of COVID-19 with 75 healthcare workers who were either permanent staff on Intensive Care/High Dependency Units used as COVID wards, had been rapidly deployed to such a ward, or had managed such wards. Work Life Balance was measured using the WLB Scale. Interview transcripts were qualitatively coded and thematic codes were compared using network graph modeling.

Results

Using thematic network analysis, four overarching thematic clusters were found, (1) teamwork, (2) organizational support and management, (3) cohesion and social support, and (4) psychological strain. The study has three main findings. First, the importance of social factors for teamwork and mental health, whereby team identity may influence perceptions of preparedness, collaboration and communication, and impact on the collective appraisal of stressful events and work stressors. Secondly, it demonstrates the positive and negative impact of professional roles and skills on the development of teamwork and team identity. Lastly the study identifies the more pronounced negative impact of COVID work on deployed personnel's workload, mental health, and career intentions, exacerbated by reduced levels of social support during, and after, their deployment.

Conclusion

The thematic network analysis was able to highlight that many of the traditional factors associated with the successful delivery of patient care were impeded by pandemic constraints, markedly influencing personnel's ability to work together and cope with pandemic work stressors. In this environment teamwork, delivery of care and staff well-being appear to depend on relational and organizational context, social group membership, and psycho-social skills related to managing team identity. While results hold lessons for personnel selection, training, co-location, and organizational support during and after a pandemic, further research is needed into the differential impact of pandemic deployment on HCWs mental health and teamwork.

Positive Mental Health of Migrants in the UK during COVID-19: A Review

COVID-19 impacted the mental health of many people in the UK. The negative impact was especially substantial among vulnerable population groups, including migrants. While research has focused on the negative aspects of mental health during the pandemic, the positive mental health of migrants in the UK during COVID-19 remained to be evaluated. This review aimed to identify literature that focused on positive mental health, and thematically synthesise the findings to understand what positive mental health approaches were employed to support specific outcomes during the pandemic for them to survive in this difficult time. Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched using terms including "mental health", "migrants", and "COVID-19". The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist was used to assess the quality of the included studies. There were only two studies examining the positive mental health of UK migrants during this period. They describe approaches such as religious beliefs, passion for and acknowledgement of their job, learning new things, being physically active, social media, and social activities, producing outcomes such as inner peace, confidence, well-being, and a sense of belonging. The quality of the included studies was high. More research about positive mental health in migrants in the UK during the pandemic is needed.

Health service improvement using positive patient feedback: Systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND

Healthcare services regularly receive patient feedback, most of which is positive. Empirical studies suggest that health services can use positive feedback to create patient benefit. Our aim was to map all available empirical evidence for how positive patient feedback creates change in healthcare settings.

METHODS

Empirical studies in English were systematically identified through database searches (ACM Digital Library, AMED, ASSIA, CINAHL, MEDLINE and PsycINFO), forwards and backwards citation, and expert consultation. We summarise the characteristics of included studies and the feedback they consider, present a thematic synthesis of qualitative findings, and provide narrative summaries of quantitative findings.

RESULTS

68 papers were included, describing research conducted across six continents, with qualitative (n = 51), quantitative (n = 10), and mixed (n = 7) methods. Only two studies were interventional. The most common settings were hospitals (n = 27) and community healthcare (n = 19). The most common recipients were nurses (n = 29). Most outcomes described were desirable. These were categorised as (a) short-term emotional change for healthcare workers (including feeling motivated and improved psychological wellbeing); (b) work-home interactional change for healthcare workers (such as improved home-life relationships); (c) work-related change for healthcare workers (such as improved performance and staff retention). Some undesirable outcomes were described, including envy when not receiving positive feedback. The impact of feedback may be moderated by characteristics of particular healthcare roles, such as night shift workers having less interaction time with patients. Some factors moderating the change created by feedback are modifiable.

CONCLUSION

Further interventional research is required to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of receiving positive feedback in creating specific forms of change such as increases in staff retention. Healthcare managers may wish to use positive feedback more regularly, and to address barriers to staff receiving feedback.

Vaccination, time lost from work, and COVID-19 infections: a Canadian healthcare worker retrospective cohort study

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted hurdles for healthcare delivery and personnel globally. Vaccination has been an important tool for preventing severe illness and death in healthcare workers (HCWs) as well as the public at large. However, vaccination has resulted in some HCWs requiring time off work post-vaccination to recover from adverse events. We aimed to understand which HCWs needed to take time off work post-vaccination, for which vaccine types and sequence, and how post-vaccination absence impacted uptake of booster doses in a cohort of 26,267 Canadian HCWs. By March 31, 2022, more than 98% had received at least two doses of the approved COVID-19 vaccines, following a two-dose mandate. We found that recent vaccination and longer intervals between doses were associated with significantly higher odds of time-loss, whereas being a medical resident and receiving the BNT162b2 vaccine were associated with lower odds. A history of lab-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with lower odds of receiving a booster dose compared with no documented infection, aOR 0.61 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.68). Similarly, taking sick time following the first or second dose was associated with lower odds of receiving a booster dose, aOR 0.83 (95% CI: 0.75, 0.90). As SARS-CoV-2 becomes endemic, the number and timing of additional doses for HCWs requires consideration of prevention of illness as well as service disruption from post-vaccination time-loss. Care should be taken to ensure adequate staffing if many HCWs are being vaccinated, especially for coverage for those who are more likely to need time off to recover.

Self-Compassion during COVID-19 in Non-WEIRD Countries: A Narrative Review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted people's mental health negatively worldwide, including in non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic) countries. Self-compassion, kindness and understanding towards oneself in difficult times have received increasing attention in the field of mental health. Self-compassion is strongly associated with good mental health in various populations. This narrative review aimed to synthesise the evidence on self-compassion and mental health in non-WEIRD countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. MEDLINE and PsycINFO were searched for empirical studies. Self-compassion was consistently associated with positive mental health in non-WEIRD countries too. However, how, and to what degree, each component of self-compassion impacts mental health remains to be evaluated across different cultures. Future research such as multi-national intervention studies, or component network meta-analysis, is needed to advance our understanding of how self-compassion improves mental health in different populations.

Self-Compassion Interventions to Target Secondary Traumatic Stress in Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review

Healthcare professionals' wellbeing can be adversely affected by the intense demands of, and the secondary traumatic stress associated with, their job. Self-compassion is associated with positive wellbeing outcomes across a variety of workforce populations and is potentially an important skill for healthcare workers, as it offers a way of meeting one's own distress with kindness and understanding. This systematic review aimed to synthesise and evaluate the utility of self-compassion interventions in reducing secondary traumatic stress in a healthcare worker population. Eligible articles were identified from research databases, including ProQuest, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and EBSCO. The quality of non-randomised and randomised trials was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The literature search yielded 234 titles, from which 6 studies met the inclusion criteria. Four studies reported promising effects of self-compassion training for secondary traumatic stress in a healthcare population, although these did not use controls. The methodological quality of these studies was medium. This highlights a research gap in this area. Three of these four studies recruited workers from Western countries and one recruited from a non-Western country. The Professional Quality of Life Scale was used to evaluate secondary traumatic stress in all studies. The findings show preliminary evidence that self-compassion training may improve secondary traumatic stress in healthcare professional populations; however, there is a need for greater methodological quality in this field and controlled trials. The findings also show that the majority of research was conducted in Western countries. Future research should focus on a broader range of geographical locations to include non-Western countries.

Qualitative Investigation into the Perception towards Compassionate Parenting among Parents of Autistic Children: Cross-Cultural Comparison between the UK and The Netherlands

Parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder is believed to present challenges that lead to increased levels of stress, as well as a reduction in the quality of the relationship between parent and child. This study aims to investigate parental perceptions toward a compassionate parenting style of parenting to better understand how this style may influence relationships and quality of life in parents. Parents from the United Kingdom (six parents) and the Netherlands (five parents) were invited take part in semi-structured interviews, whereby the data collected were subsequently analysed using thematic analysis. Data from both British and Dutch groups were overall similar to each other. Four themes were identified from the aggregated data: (a) "Parents believe compassionate parenting is important" (parents believed that compassion is an essential element of their parenting style and improves situational outcomes); (b) "Compassionate parenting de-escalates stressful situations" (compassionate parenting reduces stress and improves the quality of life); (c) "High pressure situations as a threat to practice compassion" (challenges and limitations to compassionate parenting style); and (d) "Greater public and professional awareness of autistic behaviours" (the general public and professional services often lack awareness to recognise autistic behaviour traits). Results are consistent with research examining the perceptions of parents of neurotypical children, in that a more compassionate approach to parenting is valued, as it is believed to create a greater connection with the child. Our findings inform researchers and educators as to what parents of children with ASD find useful, important, and worthwhile. Future research needs to investigate how compassionate parenting impacts autistic children's quality of life.

Determining the effect of selected mental factors on turnover intention through two modulators - stress and resilience over COVID-19 period

INTRODUCTION

Turnover intention among nurses has risen in an alarming rate since the onset of the pandemic. There are various underlying factors to turnover intention. The present study aims to determine the effect of a number of mental factors on nurses' professional-turnover intention through two modulators of stress and resilience over COVID-19 period.

METHODS

The current cross-sectional study was conducted at three hospitals in Khuzestan Province, southern Iran, during the winter of 2021. To collect the data, given the restrictions in place during COVID-19 period, the web link of electronic self-reported questionnaires (including general health, mental workload, work-family conflict, resilience, job stress, corona fear, and turnover intention) were sent to 350 nurses through e-mail and other social media (WhatsApp and Telegram). Accordingly, they were asked to complete the questionnaire during rest periods within two weeks. Totally, 300 people (85% participation) filled out the questionnaires. Finally, a model was constructed in the Amos software.

RESULTS

The results showed that the four independent parameters of decreasing general health, increasing mental workload, increasing WFCs and fear of COVID-19 can indirectly increase nurses' turnover intention by increasing job stress. Among these variables, the highest indirect effect coefficient on turnover intention was related to the general health parameter (-0.141). The results also demonstrated a negative correlation between job stress and resilience, with lower resilience raising job stress and, consequently, increasing intention to quit the job.

CONCLUSION

Mental factors affecting turnover intension were identified in this study through path analysis. Therefore, it is recommended that the required resilience-enhancing measures to be taken by hospitals and nursing administrations to reduce psychological pressures caused by mentioned variables with the aim of minimizing job-related stress and fostering nurse retention.

COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study with an opportunity-centric approach from an ICU perspective in a teaching hospital. Upsides worth to secure?

OBJECTIVES

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff in the intensive care unit (ICU) was materially, physically and emotionally challenged. This qualitative study investigated the effects that ICU staff experienced and were considered of value to be permanently implemented.

SETTING

ICU in an university medical centre during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN

An opportunity-centric approach was applied in individual semi-structured interviews to optimise the achieved results and was guided by the theoretical model of appreciative inquiry (AI).

PARTICIPANTS

Fifteen ICU staff members (8 nurses and 7 intensivists) participated.

RESULTS

Working during the COVID-19 pandemic catalysed interprofessional collaboration and team learning in the ICU on an individual and team level, centred around a common goal: taking care of critically ill patients with COVID-19. The effect of interprofessional collaboration was that provisions were taken care of quicker than usual, without bureaucratic delays. However, this effect was experienced to be transient. Also, ICU staff perceived limited possibilities to help patients and families around the palliative phase, and they perceived a lack of appreciation from higher management. This is a point of future attention: how to make this perceived lack of appreciation more visible to all (ICU) staff.

CONCLUSION

Regarding our primary question, the ICU staff voiced that the direct communication and collaboration are the most important elements of the COVID-19 peak they would like to preserve. Furthermore, it was learnt that consolation and support for family members should not be forgotten. Considering the results, we believe that further research concerning team reflexivity might contribute to (or enhance) our knowledge about working together during and after a crisis.

A longitudinal study of mental health in healthcare workers in Japan during the initial phase of COVID-19 pandemic: comparison with the general population

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the mental health of people in Japan. Healthcare workers (HCWs) especially suffered from poor mental health, engaging with COVID-19 patients while protecting themselves from infection. However, a long-term assessment of their mental health in comparison to the general population remains to be conducted. This study evaluated and compared changes in mental health between these two populations over a six-month period. Measures of mental health, loneliness, hope and self-compassion were completed at baseline and at six-month follow-up. Two-way MANOVA (Time x Group) identified that no interaction effects were present. However, at baseline, HCWs had higher levels of mental health problems and loneliness, and lower levels of hope and self-compassion than the general population. Furthermore, a higher level of loneliness was found in HCWs at six months. These findings highlight strong feelings of loneliness in HCWs in Japan. Interventions such as digital social prescribing are recommended.

Ethnic Minorities' Experiences of Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can improve cardiovascular risk factors, decrease cardiac mortality, and promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. However, services remain underutilized by groups of ethnic minorities. The purpose of the study was to identify patients' personal CR experiences to identify the differences CR makes towards minorities' lifestyle. An initial electronic search was performed in 2021 for papers ranging from 2008-2020 across specific databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and Medline. Google Scholar was also used to supplement the search process and to identify studies performed within grey literature. A total of 1230 records were screened, of which 40 were assessed for eligibility. The final sample consisted of seven qualitative design studies that were identified for inclusion in this review. Based on patient personal experiences, this review identified that ethnic minorities continue to remain disadvantaged when accessing healthcare interventions, primarily as a result of cultural behaviours, linguistic barriers, socioeconomic status, religious and fatalistic beliefs, and low physician referral rates. More research is needed to elucidate this phenomenon and address these factors faced by ethnic minorities.

Comparing the Mental Health of Healthcare Students: Mental Health Shame and Self-compassion in Counselling, Occupational Therapy, Nursing and Social Work Students

Poor mental health of healthcare students is a cause for concern in many universities. Though previous research has identified mental health shame and self-compassion as critical in this student group, how these variables differ across different healthcare disciplines remains to be evaluated. Healthcare students (n = 344; counselling, occupational therapy, social work and nursing) completed measures regarding these variables. MANOVA and regression analyses were performed. (1) Counselling and nursing students were more depressed than occupational therapy students; (2) nursing students were more anxious than occupational therapy and social work students; (3) occupational therapy students had more positive attitudes towards mental health than the others; and (4) nursing students worried about their own reputation associated with their family more than counselling students. Self-compassion was the strongest predictor of mental health in all groups; however, the effect sizes varied: largest in nursing and smallest in social work students. Findings will help inform effective interventions for students in each healthcare discipline.

Relationships among Healthcare Providers' Job Demands, Leisure Involvement, Emotional Exhaustion, and Leave Intention under the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many medical issues. It has tested the impact of healthcare providers' job demands, emotional exhaustion, and other pressures related to the impact on organizational leave intention. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to verify the relationship between healthcare providers' job demands, leisure involvement, emotional exhaustion, and leave intention under the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire survey was used to address the issue of the present study. Convenience sampling was utilized to recruit 440 healthcare providers with a validity rate of 95%. Collected data were analyzed by structural equation modelling. Results indicated that healthcare providers' job demands do not significantly influence leisure involvement. Job demands significantly influence emotional exhaustion. Job demands significantly influence leave intention. Emotional exhaustion significantly influences leave intention. Emotional exhaustion has a significant mediating effect between job demands and leave intention. Finally, relevant practical suggestions are provided based on the study results.

An accumulation of distress: Grief, loss, and isolation among healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic

This article draws on the journal entries of 62 healthcare professionals (HCP) in the United States and Canada who participated in the Pandemic Journaling Project (PJP) during 2020-2021. The HCP in this article represented healthcare fields including medicine, nursing, physical therapy, social work, and clinical psychology. In their journal entries, HCP provided accounts of witnessing the death and bereavement of their patients and loved ones; experiencing their own loss of loved ones and important milestones; facing isolation from their networks and places of meaning; and juggling increasing workloads and caregiving activities. I illustrate how these four areas were impacted by guilt, duty, ethical deliberations, and gender disparities. I argue that HCP face an accumulation of distress when they witness grief and face loss without space to process these experiences.

Self-compassion, mental health shame and work motivation in German and Japanese employees

In Germany, more than two-thirds of employees report mental health issues, while in Japan, more than half of the country's workforce are mentally distressed. Although both countries are socio-economically developed in similar ways, their cultures differ strongly. This article investigates mental health constructs among German and Japanese employees. A cross-sectional design was employed in which 257 German and 165 Japanese employees completed self-report scales regarding mental health problems, mental health shame, self-compassion and work motivation. T-tests, correlation and regression analyses were conducted. Results show that German employees have significantly higher levels of mental health problems, mental health shame, self-compassion and work motivation than Japanese employees. While many correlations were similar, mental health problems were associated with intrinsic motivation in Germans, but not in Japanese. Shame was associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in Japanese, but not in Germans. Self-compassion - defined as a complex of compassion, humanity, care and unconditional, compassionate love - was associated with gender and age in Japanese, but not in German employees. Lastly, regression analysis uncovered that self-compassion was the strongest predictor of mental health problems in Germans. In Japanese employees, mental health shame is the strongest predictor of mental health problems. Results can guide managers and psychologists in internationalised organisations to effectively approach employee mental health.

Mental Well-Being of Czech University Students: Academic Motivation, Self-Compassion, and Self-Criticism

University students in the Czech Republic suffer from a low level of mental well-being. Research in other university student populations suggests that academic motivation, self-compassion, and self-criticism are strongly related to mental well-being. Students who are motivated to study, are kind toward themselves, and are less judgmental of themselves tend to have a high level of mental well-being. These relationships had not been evaluated in Czech students. Accordingly, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the relationships between mental well-being, academic motivation (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation), self-compassion (self-reassurance) and self-criticism (self-inadequacy and self-hate). Of 130 students approached, a convenience sampling of 119 psychology students at a university in the Czech Republic completed a survey regarding these constructs. Correlation, regression, and path analyses were conducted. Mental well-being was positively associated with intrinsic motivation and self-compassion, and negatively associated with amotivation and self-criticism. Self-compassion was identified as the strongest predictor of mental well-being. Lastly, intrinsic motivation mediated the pathway from self-compassion to mental well-being, but not the one from self-inadequacy to mental well-being, and the one from self-hate to mental well-being. Our findings can help educators to identify effective means to protect students' mental well-being. Cultivating students' self-compassion may be helpful to protect their mental well-being. University staff and educators in the Czech Republic need to consider ways to embed self-compassion training into their students' programmes or university life.

A Shorter Form of the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale: Construction and Factorial Validation

While workplace mental health has attracted attention in many countries, work motivation remains under-researched. Research identified that work motivation is associated with many organisational positive outcomes including workplace mental health. One well-recognised measure is the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS). Conceptualised on the Self-Determination Theory, this 18-item scale examines six types of work motivation: Intrinsic Motivation, Integrated Regulation, Identified Regulation, Introjected Regulation, External Regulation, and Amotivation. WEIMS can be too long for busy people at work. Accordingly, we constructed and validated a shorter form of WEIMS (SWEIMS), comprising 12 items that evaluate the same six work motivation types. Data collected from two professional samples were analysed to construct and validate the factorial structure: 155 construction workers (138 males and 17 females, Age 40.28 ± 11.05) and 103 hospitality workers (47 males and 56 females, Age 28.2 ± 8.6 years). Correlation analyses and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Two items from each type were selected based on the strength of correlations with the target WEIMS subscale. SWEIMS demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α ≧ 0.65), and strong correlations with the original version of WEIMS (r = 0.73) in both samples. SWEIMS confirmatory factor analysis replicated the six-factor model of the original SWEIMS. SWEIMS can be a reliable, valid, and user-friendly alternative to WEIMS.

Mediation of Self-Compassion on Pathways from Stress to Psychopathologies among Japanese Workers

As awareness of mental health increases worldwide, how to improve mental health has begun to be discussed in many countries. Stress is known to cause diverse physical and mental health problems, including psychopathologies. On the other hand, our previous studies identified that self-compassion, kindness and understanding towards oneself are key components for good mental health in many populations, including Japanese workers. The government reports that Japanese workers suffer from high rates of mental health problems. However, the mechanism of how self-compassion helps their mental health remains to be evaluated. Accordingly, this study aimed to elucidate how self-compassion intervenes in pathways from stress to psychopathologies, namely depression and anxiety. One hundred and sixty-five Japanese workers completed an online survey regarding self-compassion, depression, anxiety and stress. Correlation and path analyses were conducted. These four variables were significantly inter-related. While self-compassion mediated the pathway from stress to depression, it did not mediate the pathway from stress to anxiety. These exploratory insights assist in understanding the mechanism of how self-compassion improves mental health and inform effective methods to implement self-compassion interventions to the Japanese workforce.

Common Humanity as an Under-acknowledged Mechanism for Mental Health Peer Support

Mental health peer support (PS) is a relational approach to recovery. Service users are helped through a relationship focused on connection with a PS worker who shares similar experiences. Despite the strong evidence base, the mechanisms of action for mental health PS are under-researched. Several theories have been proposed to explain the mechanisms, including social comparison theory (SCT). SCT highlights the benefits arising from emphasising differences between a service user and the PS worker. An unintended consequence is that connection between them may be reduced. We propose common humanity (CH) as an under-acknowledged mechanism of action. CH is an experience recognising that there are other people living with similar suffering, and helps us regulate emotions. A CH-informed connection-based PS relationship may help a service user in different ways from a SCT-informed comparison-based PS relationship. Future PS research can investigate emotional self-regulation to establish whether CH-related outcomes arise from PS.

The Level of COVID-19 Anxiety among Oncology Patients in Poland

Cancer patients tend to have a high psychological burden. Half of cancer patients suffer from severe affective disorders and anxiety disorders, while one-third struggle with mild forms of these. The COVID-19 pandemic is damaging the mental health of the population due to social restrictions. A growing number of studies note the role of COVID-19 anxiety in the health and quality of life of cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to estimate the level of COVID-19 anxiety among oncology patients and to test the utility of the FCV-19S scale in a population study of cancer patients. The study included 600 respondents (300 oncology patients and 300 control subjects not undergoing oncological treatment). The FCV-19S scale and the GAD-7 scale were used in the study. The results were interpreted according to the following verbal scale: 76-100%, high anxiety; 56-75%, moderate anxiety; 26-55%, low COVID-19 anxiety; <25%, no COVID-19 anxiety. In the analysis of the GAD-7 questionnaire results, the mean score obtained was 8.21 (min. 0; max. 21; SD 5.32). For 81% of respondents in the group of oncology patients, the total score indicated the presence of anxiety symptoms with varying degrees of severity; in the control group, this proportion was 55% of respondents. The FCV-19S scale score as a percentage was 57.4% for oncology patients, indicating a moderate level of fear of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and 30.3% for the control group, indicating a low level of fear of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. One-fifth of oncology patients were afraid of losing their lives due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus; in the control group, this proportion was 13% of respondents. Oncology patients were characterized by a higher prevalence of sleep disturbance than control group respondents, which was associated with greater anxiety. The study, therefore, shows that oncology patients have moderate levels of anxiety associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and non-oncology patients show lower levels of anxiety.

A Multi-Center Study on the Negative Psychological Impact and Associated Factors in Chinese Healthcare Workers 1 Year After the COVID-19 Initial Outbreak

Objectives: The study aimed at analyzing the prevalence of five psychological outcomes (depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation) among Chinese healthcare workers (HCWs), and measured the total possible negative psychological impact 1 year after the COVID-19 initial outbreak. Methods: A cross-sectional nationwide multi-center study was performed between November 2020 and March 2021 in China. A self-report questionnaire was applied, and three psychological scales were used. Binary logistic regression was performed to analyze the risk factors associated with each psychological outcome. Results: The findings demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative psychological impact on HCWs, which was still evident 1 year after the initial outbreak. Nurses showed higher depression and anxiety than other HCWs. Female gender, passive coping, long working hours, having a chronic disease, and experiencing violence, among other factors, were all risk factors for psychological impairment. Conclusion: Developing and promoting programs to improve mental health among HCWs, and identifying those who might need psychological support is still relevant 1 year after the initial outbreak.

Mental Health of Japanese Workers: Amotivation Mediates Self-Compassion on Mental Health Problems

Workplace mental health is a cause for concern in many countries. Globally, 78% of the workforce experienced impairment of their mental health in 2020. In Japan, more than half of employees are mentally distressed. Previously, research has identified that self-compassion (i.e., being kind and understanding towards oneself) and work motivation were important to their mental health. However, how these three components relate to each other remains to be elucidated. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the relationship between mental health problems, self-compassion and work motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation). A cross-sectional design was employed, where 165 Japanese workers completed self-report scales regarding those three components. A correlation and path analyses were conducted. Mental health problems were positively associated with amotivation and negatively associated with age and self-compassion. While intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation did not mediate the impact of self-compassion on mental health problems, amotivation did. The findings can help managers and organizational psychologists help identify effective approaches to improving work mental health.

Comparison of Academic Motivation between Business and Healthcare Students in Online Learning: A Concurrent Nested Mixed-Method Study

While the demand for online education and the diversity of online students have been increasing worldwide, how online students motivate themselves to continuously engage in learning remains to be appraised. Research in the face-to-face contexts reports that academic motivation is central to student success and wellbeing, and the type of motivation can differ by subject. In particular, the motivation of business students and healthcare students can differ considerably. This study aimed to understand the motivation of online students, and compare them between business and healthcare students using a concurrent nested mixed-method design with correlation and thematic analyses. A survey regarding motivation, learning enjoyment, and study willingness was responded to by 120 online students (61 business and 59 healthcare). Business students were associated with extrinsic motivation, whereas healthcare students were associated with intrinsic motivation. While students in both groups enjoyed the pursuit of knowledge, healthcare students valued the process and accomplishment, whereas business students regarded education as steppingstones in their careers. Findings can help educators develop effective motivational support for these student groups.

The Relationships between Psychological Well-Being, Emotions and Coping in COVID-19 Environment: The Gender Aspect for Postgraduate Students

BACKGROUND

Postgraduate students were exposed to the Coronavirus pandemic, and their study process changed from face-to-face to online. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of gender differences on emotions, coping strategies and psychological well-being (PWB) in the environment of the Coronavirus pandemic second wave (11 July 2020-30 June 2021).

METHODS

Ryff scale, MEQ Multidimensional emotion questionnaire, and brief COPE scale. The participants' consisted of postgraduate students (74 female and 54 male). The study was conducted from 21 June 2022 to 28 June 2022.

RESULTS

Postgraduate students rated their PWB levels insignificantly in terms of gender. However, the individual components of this construct were evaluated as being significantly different in terms of gender. Females were more likely to feel negative emotions and had a harder time regulating these emotions than males. Female students were less likely than males to use problem-focused and avoidant-focused coping strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Postgraduate females were more affected than males by the Coronavirus pandemic. Females' PWB was more concerned with emotions than males. Females were less likely than males to use problem-focused coping strategies.

Resilience among health care workers while working during a pandemic: A systematic review and meta synthesis of qualitative studies

Background

Aim

Method

Results

Conclusion

Factors Associated with Mental Health Outcomes in Hospital Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Study

Background: We investigated some of the factors associated with depression, perceived stress, and anxiety in clinical and nonclinical healthcare workers of two hospitals. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used. The sample included clinical (physicians, nurses, and others) and nonclinical (security and cleaning staff) healthcare workers of two tertiary hospitals in Peru. Participants completed an online self-survey. In the qualitative analysis, data were subjected to thematic analysis. Results: We analyzed data from 613 participants, of which 8.6%, 9.0%, and 78.2% had moderate-to-severe anxiety, depression, and perceived stress, respectively. Having a previous mental health problem, being concerned about losing one’s job, having at least two COVID-19 symptoms in the preceding two weeks, and being afraid of infecting family members increased the prevalence of experiencing moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety. The qualitative analysis allowed us to identify five recurring factors that caused a negative impact on workers’ lives during the pandemic: emotional distress linked to hospital experiences of suffering and death, modification of routines, fear of COVID-19, exacerbation of mental disorders, and physical problems associated with emotional distress. Conclusions: Clinical and nonclinical healthcare workers in Peru have experienced depression, anxiety, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research and interventions are necessary to improve psychological support for hospital workers.

Mental Health Shame, Caregiver Identity, and Self-Compassion in UK Education Students

Although students in education have high rates of mental health problems, many of them do not ask for help, which can exacerbate their symptoms. One reason for their low help-seeking is shame associated with mental health problems. As education students aspire to provide care for children, they may feel ashamed to care for themselves, as the role identity theory suggests. Self-compassion is reported to reduce shame and mental health problems. This study explored the relationships between mental health problems, mental health shame, self-compassion, and caregiver identity among UK education students. One hundred and nine postgraduate students completed four self-report scales regarding those constructs. Correlation and regression analyses were performed. Mental health problems were positively associated with shame and identity, and negatively associated with self-compassion. Self-compassion was the only significant predictor of mental health problems. Findings will help educators and education students to develop effective approaches for their mental health problems.

Common experiences and psychological difficulties during the pandemic: Insights from psychological support sessions

Due to identified mental health difficulties among populations worldwide, evidence-based mental health and psychosocial support interventions are recognized as a priority for the health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The main aim of this study was to provide in-depth understanding of the common experiences and psychological difficulties among the people affected by COVID-19. The study included 32 persons (28 females), with the average age of 38.5 (SD 13.2), those with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnosis or those whose family or friends were infected with COVID-19, receiving online psychological support from December 2020 to June 2021. Protocols of the support sessions were analysed by relying on the principles of thematic analysis. The study results showed that anxiety, somatization, sadness over the loss of close ones and guilt were the most prominent psychological difficulties among the people seeking psychological help during the pandemic. The main factors which made coping with psychological difficulties more challenging include previous life circumstances, uncertainty and the lack of social support. The study enabled greater understanding of the common experiences and most prominent psychological difficulties, and provided evidence which can be used as a foundation for the creation of more focused psychological programs that could support people during the pandemic.