Search

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is expected to have widespread and pervasive implications for mental health in terms of deteriorating outcomes and increased health service use, leading to calls for empirical research on mental health during the pandemic. Internet-based psychological measurement can play an important role in collecting imperative data, assisting to guide evidence-based decision making in practice and policy, and subsequently facilitating immediate reporting of measurement results to participants. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to use an internet-based mental health measurement platform to compare the mental health profile of community members during COVID-19 with community members assessed before the pandemic. MethodsThis study uses an internet-based self-assessment tool to collect data on psychological distress, mental well-being, and resilience in community cohorts during (n=673) and prior to the pandemic (two cohorts, n=1264 and n=340). ResultsOur findings demonstrate significantly worse outcomes on all mental health measures for participants measured during COVID-19 compared to those measured before (P

There is an ever-increasing focus on the importance of addressing the mental health of students across the higher education sector. Measuring psychological distress or symptoms of common mental disorders as a proxy for mental health does however provide a limited picture of someone's mental health status. There is a need to comprehensively measure mental health via outcomes of psychological distress combined with "positive" and "adaptive" states of mental health such as mental wellbeing and resilience. This paper describes a study of 905 students in which an online mental health and wellbeing platform was used to measure the mental health of students, all the while providing realtime individual reports to each individual student. The data provides evidence of high levels of psychological distress (i.e. anxiety) and low levels of mental wellbeing and resilience in students, relative to population norms, with merely 18.6% of students demonstrating optimal scores on all outcomes. Contrary to predictions we found no evidence of poorer wellbeing amongst international students when compared to domestic students. The results indicate that complimenting measurement of distress with measurement of positive and adaptive states can more comprehensively capture the precarious mental status of our tertiary students. Providing this measurement in a scalable and targeted way provides universities and its students the opportunity to provide and use mental health interventions based on the needs of particular cohorts of students, moving beyond resource-intense but intermittent or untargeted approaches to intervention.

Carers of veterans tend to put their own physical and psychological well‐being needs behind the needs of the person they are caring for and often do not seek assistance for their own physical and psychological well‐being. Combined, these factors lead to increased risk of acute and chronic illness and mental health issues. It is acknowledged that physical activity independently contributes to improved physical and mental health and may be a driver for mental well‐being in carers. The aim of this pilot research was to understand how movement behaviour and health behaviours of carers of veterans in Australia relate to carers' physical and psychological well‐being. Assessment occurred between February and July 2019 and included objective, validated measures to examine physical and psychological well‐being. To assess the association between physical and psychological factors, correlational analyses were performed. Twenty‐eight carers participated in the pilot study (96% female, mean age 61.6 years). Exercise capacity varied, and 84% of carers met the recommended 150 min of physical activity per week, with carers spending 8.6% of their time in moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity; and 37.9% of the day sedentary. Psychological health outcomes reflect a population with high distress levels and lower than average mental well‐being, but with normal resilience scores. Carers with higher levels of resilience had greater exercise capacity, covering further distance in the 6‐min walk test, and as resilience increased, number of sedentary bouts decreased. This research demonstrates that there is a relationship between health behaviours and psychological well‐being in carers of veterans and serving personnel. Based on the findings of this pilot study, programmes to support family carers should include information about physical activity, reducing sedentary time, and increasing resilience. Interventions designed to improve physical and psychological well‐being should be trialled and evaluated for effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emergency service personnel perform roles associated with high levels of trauma exposure and stress, and not surprisingly experience greater risk for poor mental health including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and substance use relative to the general population. Although programs exist to minimise the risk of developing mental health problems, their efficacy to date has been limited or untested. We will test the efficacy of the three programs which form PEREI: Protecting Emergency Responders with Evidence-Based Interventions. PEREI consists of modified versions of internet-delivered cognitive training in resilience (iCT-R) for early career first responders, PEREI-S for supervisors, and Be Well for Significant Others (BW-SO). Method : Up to 450 members in their first 5 years of service across multiple agencies will be recruited, with their adult supports (significant others, friends) invited to participate. Up to 180 supervisors in the agencies will be recruited. Participants will be randomized to their respective program or to receive the standard practice for mental health offered by the service (or usual mental health support for significant others). Assessments will be conducted pre- and post-program, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Primary outcome is PTSD and depression severity and probable-diagnosis. Secondary measures will index hypothesized mediators and moderators of outcome and determine whether the programs are cost-effective. Conclusions : The results will provide evidence as to efficacious methods for reducing risk of mental health problems in high-risk occupations, a better understanding of how such interventions may work, and whether they are good value for money. Trial registration: www.anzctr.org.au (ACTRN12622001267741).