Students' mental health during the pandemic:results of the observational cross-sectional COVID-19 MEntal health inTernational for university Students (COMET-S) study

Introduction: The aim of the study was to search rates of depression and mental health in university students, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: This is an observational cross-sectional study. A protocol gathering sociodemographic variables as well as depression, anxiety and suicidality and conspiracism was assembled, and data were collected anonymously and online from April 2020 through March 2021. The sample included 12,488 subjects from 11 countries, of whom 9,026 were females (72.2%; aged 21.11 ± 2.53), 3,329 males (26.65%; aged 21.61 ± 2.81) and 133 “non-binary gender” (1.06%; aged 21.02 ± 2.98). The analysis included chi-square tests, correlation analysis, ANCOVA, multiple forward stepwise linear regression analysis and Relative Risk ratios. Results: Dysphoria was present in 15.66% and probable depression in 25.81% of the total study sample. More than half reported increase in anxiety and depression and 6.34% in suicidality, while lifestyle changes were significant. The model developed explained 18.4% of the development of depression. Believing in conspiracy theories manifested a complex effect. Close to 25% was believing that the vaccines include a chip and almost 40% suggested that facemask wearing could be a method of socio-political control. Conspiracism was related to current depression but not to history of mental disorders. Discussion: The current study reports that students are at high risk for depression during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified specific risk factors. It also suggested a role of believing in conspiracy theories. Further research is important, as it is targeted intervention in students' groups that are vulnerable both concerning mental health and conspiracism

Relationship of suicide rates with climate and economic variables in Europe during 2000-2012

The derived models explained 62.4 % of the variability of male suicidal rates. Economic variables alone explained 26.9 % and climate variables 37.6 %. For females, the respective figures were 41.7, 11.5 and 28.1 %. Male suicides correlated with high unemployment rate in the frame of high growth rate and high inflation and low GDP per capita, while female suicides correlated negatively with inflation. Both male and female suicides correlated with low temperature. Data from 29 European countries covering the years 2000-2012 and concerning male and female standardized suicidal rates (according to WHO), economic variables (according World Bank) and climate variables were gathered. The statistical analysis included cluster and principal component analysis and categorical regression. It is well known that suicidal rates vary considerably among European countries and the reasons for this are unknown, although several theories have been proposed. The effect of economic variables has been extensively studied but not that of climate. The current study reports that the climatic effect (cold climate) is stronger than the economic one, but both are present. It seems that in Europe suicidality follows the climate/temperature cline which interestingly is not from south to north but from south to north-east. This raises concerns that climate change could lead to an increase in suicide rates. The current study is essentially the first successful attempt to explain the differences across countries in Europe; however, it is an observational analysis based on aggregate data and thus there is a lack of control for confounders. RESULTS METHODS BACKGROUND DISCUSSIO

Early diagnosis of postpartum depression disorders - basis of effective prevention

Depressive disorders are the most commonly diagnosed psychological disorders for women in the postpartum period. Postpartum depression is a nonhomogenic disorder: offset, development and levels of its impact vary significantly. Postpartum depression is also hard to diagnose as somatic symptoms of depression – sleep problems, appetite loss, fatigue, changes in daily routine – are common after-birth worries for all women. When undiagnosed and untreated postpartum depression can have serious long term consequences impacting not only a woman but also for a child and wider family. Postportum depression has now been ackowledged as a serious public health problem, with recent research widely exploring psychosocial consequences of untreated depression in women, its negative impact on child‘s development and its potential dangers. This article briefly discusses the definition of postpartum depression, risk factors and overviews interventions designed to prevent the risk of major depressive episodes

Swoiste, związane z wiekiem i płcią, cechy u pacjentów ze stanem majaczeniowym na oddziale intensywnej opieki kardiologicznej

Background: The overall evidence base regarding delirium has been growing steadily over the past few decades. There has been considerable analysis of delirium concerning, for example, mechanically ventilated patients, patients in the general intensive care unit (ICU) setting, and patients with exclusively postoperative delirium. Nevertheless, there are few studies regarding delirium in a cardiovascular ICU (ICCU) setting and especially scarce literature about the particular features of delirium relating to patient age and gender. Aim: We aimed to determine particular features of delirium not induced by alcohol or other psychoactive substances, relating to patient age and gender in an ICCU setting. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate patients with delirium in a Lithuanian ICCU. From a sample of 19,007 ICCU admissions, 337 (1.8%) had documented delirium diagnosed through liaison and consultation with a psychiatrist and were included in the final analysis. The obtained data was then evaluated and analysed according to patients’ gender and four categorised age groups: < 65 years, 65–74 years, 75–84 years, and ≥ 85 years. Results: Female patients who experienced delirium demonstrated a higher prevalence of hypertension, hyponatraemia, heart failure, cardiac rhythm and conduction disorders, myocardial infarction (MI), and dementia. The men, who were on average seven years younger than the women, significantly more often had hypokalaemia, double- or triple-vessel coronary artery disease, and sepsis. Furthermore, MI, ST-segment elevated MI, and Killip class 4 were most frequent amongst patients less than 65 years of age. Moreover, the youngest patient group demonstrated the highest mortality. Conclusions: Our investigation presented a number of associated peculiarities related to gender and age. It was shown that delirium is a severe complication that more often affects men amongst patients < 65 years old and more frequently affects women in the age group of ≥ 85 years. Male patients < 65 years old, who develop delirium should be treated with more caution because they tend to have more serious forms of disorder and a poorer prognosis.Wstęp: W ostatnich latach wzrosła liczba danych naukowych odnoszących się do stanu majaczeniowego (delirium). Przeprowadzono znaczące analizy delirium obejmujące na przykład pacjentów poddawanych mechanicznej wentylacji, przebywających na ogólnym oddziale intensywnej opieki medycznej (OIOM) i chorych, u których stan majaczeniowy występował wyłącznie w okresie pooperacyjnym. Niemniej niewiele jest badań dotyczących stanu majaczeniowego u pacjentów oddziału intensywnej opieki kardiologicznej (OIOK), a zwłaszcza brakuje prac na temat szczególnych cech stanu majaczeniowego w odniesieniu do wieku i płci chorych. Cel: Badanie przeprowadzono w celu ustalenia szczególnych właściwości substancji niealkoholowych i innych substancji o działaniu psychoaktywnym wywołujących delirium w odniesieniu do wieku i płci pacjentów przebywających na OIOK. Metody: Obserwacyjne badanie przekrojowe przeprowadzono w celu oceny pacjentów w stanie majaczeniowym hospitalizowanych na OIOK na Litwie. W próbie liczącej 19 007 przyjęć na OIOK było 337 (1,8%) chorych z udokumentowanym rozpoznaniem stanu majaczeniowego (poprzez współpracę i konsultacje z psychiatrami), których włączono do końcowej analizy. Uzyskane dane oceniano i analizowano w odniesieniu do płci chorych oraz czterech grup wiekowych: < 65 lat, 65–74 lat, 75–84 lat i ≥ 85 lat. Wyniki: U kobiet, u których występował stan majaczeniowy, częściej stwierdzano nadciśnienie tętnicze, hiponatremię, niewydolność serca, zaburzenia rytmu serca i przewodzenia, zawał serca (MI) oraz demencję. Natomiast u mężczyzn, których średnia wieku była o 7 lat wyższa niż u kobiet, istotnie częściej występowały hipokaliemia, dwu- lub trójnaczyniowa choroba wieńcowa oraz posocznica. Dodatkowo MI, MI z uniesieniem odcinka ST oraz IV klasa wg klasyfikacji Killipa występowały dużo częściej u chorych w wieku poniżej 65 lat. Ponadto w najmłodszej grupie pacjentów śmiertelność była najwyższa. Wnioski: W niniejszym badaniu zaobserwowano wiele szczególnych cech związanych z płcią i wiekiem. Wykazano, że stan majaczeniowy jest ciężkim powikłaniem, które dotyczy częściej mężczyzn niż kobiet w grupie chorych w wieku poniżej 65 lat, natomiast w grupie osób w wieku 85 lat i starszych częściej występuje u kobiet. Mężczyzn poniżej 65 lat, u których rozwinął się stan majaczeniowy, należy traktować ze szczególną uwagą, ponieważ ta grupa charakteryzuje się większym ryzykiem ciężkiego przebiegu choroby i gorszym rokowaniem

The impact of acne on emotional health

Objective. To determine the effect of acne on emotional state: anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts and quality of life comparing results among acne and non-acne respondents. Methods. The study was carried out from 2016 to 2017. Two groups of people were analyzed: patients with acne and a control group consisting of people who do not have any skin disease. Both groups participated in an anonymous questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic questions, adapted Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Dermatology Quality of Life Index and a question concerning suicidal ideation. Results. 566 people were examined: 283 (217 women and 66 men) with acne and 283 (220 women and 63 men) healthy individuals. The quality of life was affected in 96.8 % of patients and in 16,3 % of control group individuals, p <0.001. Anxiety disorder was detected in 38.2 % of patients and 15.9 % in those who did not have a skin disease, p <0.001. Depression was found in 21.9 % of patients and 6 % in control group participants, p <0.001. Suicidal ideation was reported in 12 % of acne patients and 3.5 % in those of control group, p <0.001. The quality of life index score was 11 ± 0.34 in the patient group and in the control group was 0.55 ± 0.06, p <0.001. The average anxiety score was 7.1 ± 0.25 acne group and 4.25 ± 0.18 in the control group, p <0.001; respectively depression – 5 ± 0.23 and 2.3 ± 0.13, p <0.001. Conclusions. Acne significantly affects emotional state of patients: 2.4 times increases the frequency of anxiety, increases the frequency of depression and suicidal thoughts by 3 times, and worsens quality of life six times more often

Factors Affecting Suicidal Thoughts in Breast Cancer Patients

Background and Objectives: Women diagnosed with breast cancer experience severe trauma. Psychological help for breast cancer patients is not sufficient because of limited professional resources. The goal of this study was to identify groups of breast cancer patients with the greatest suicidal risk, who could be the first target for psychosocial interventions. Materials and Methods: The study included 421 women with stage T1&ndash;T3/N0&ndash;N3/M0 breast cancer. We provided women with a set of questionnaires 1&ndash;2 days prior to breast surgery and one year after surgery. One hundred eighty-eight patients completed the questionnaires after one year. We used the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II) item Suicidal Thoughts or Intentions for the assessment of suicidal risk. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) was used to measure the risk of PTSD and the Vrana&ndash;Lauterbach Traumatic Events Questionnaire-Civilian, TEQ-C (TEQ-CV) was used to measure whether patients had experienced other traumatic events in their lifetime. Results: The incidence of suicidal ideation one year after surgery increased from 4.3% to 12.8% of patients. Patients who lived in rural areas had a two times greater risk of suicidal thoughts than patients who lived in urban areas. Working patients were 2.5 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts prior to surgery. Severely traumatic events increased the chances of suicidal ideation (OR 7.72; 95% CI 1.63&ndash;36.6; p = 0.01). The symptoms of PTSD showed a threefold increase in the likelihood of suicidal ideation (OR 2.89; 95% CI 0.98&ndash;8.55; p = 0.05). Conclusions: Living in the countryside, having a history of traumatic experience, having a paid job and having symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder influence suicidal ideation in breast cancer patients. Particular attention should be drawn to individuals with multiple risk factors

Medical and social aspects of suicide in Lithuania in the first half of the XXTH century

Tyrimo tikslas. Nustatyti savižudybinio elgesio paplitimo ir prevencijos ypatumus XX amžiaus pirmoje pusėje. Tyrimo metodai ir objektas. Taikytas analitinis tyrinėjimų metodas remiantis mokslinių darbų paieška, kritine straipsnių analize ir pateiktos interpretacijos. Pagrindinis tyrimo objektas buvo moksliniai straipsniai, paskelbti Lietuvos mokslo leidiniuose XX a. pirmoje pusėje. Tyrimo rezultatai ir išvados. Atlikus temos apie savižudybes paiešką Lietuvos mokslo žurnaluose buvo rastos 9 publikacijos: du straipsniai apie originalius mokslinius savižudybių tyrimus, du straipsniai apie atliktą praktinį darbą, keturi apžvalginiai ir informaciniai straipsniai, viename pateiktas teorinis savižudybių rizikos faktoriaus aptarimas. Straipsnius apie savižudybę skelbė įvairių profesijų mokslininkai: keturi psichiatrai, du patologoanatomai ir teismo medikai, po vieną straipsnį vidaus ligų gydytojas, chirurgas ir teisininkas. Nusižudymų skaičius Lietuvoje XX amžiaus pirmoje pusėje buvo vienas mažiausių Europoje, pvz., 1929 m.: Lietuvoje – 9 /100 000 gyv., Austrijoje – 39,9, Vokietijoje – 33,2, Vengrijoje – 29,0, Šveicarijoje – 26,1, Japonijoje – 24,5, Prancūzijoje – 24,5, Danijoje – 24,5, Didžiojoje Britanijoje – 17,6, Švedija – 15,0, Italijoje – 9,5. Populiariausias savižudybės metodas buvo nusinuodijimas – 41,0% (daugiausia actu), pasikardavo – 19,6%. Taigi mechaniškos savižudybės priemonės buvo mažiau populiarios. Tarp mėginančių nusižudyti tris kartus daugiau buvo moterų. Daugiausia mėgino žudytis 20–29 metų amžiaus – 56%. Vienas iš siūlomų prevencijos būdų buvo toks: actas turi būti pardavinėjamas ūkio reikalams ne koncentruoto pavidalo, bet skiedinys, ne stipresnis kaip 30%; kitas – sustiprinti jaunimo charakterį gyvenimo kovai, t. y. svarbus mokyklos ir bažnyčios vaidmuo; trečias – kiekviename mieste įsteigti savižudybių prevencijos biurus ir kt. Pateikta įvairi informacija apie epidemiologinius, klinikinius, visuomeninius, prevencinius ypatumus, būdingus to meto ne tik Lietuvai, bet ir visai Europai. Galima patikimai teigti, kad Lietuvoje savižudybinis elgesys buvo mažiau paplitęs negu daugelyje pasaulio šalių. Žemas savižudybių rodiklis rodo, kad lietuviai neturėtų būti genetiškai nulemta savižudybiniam elgesiui tauta. Raktažodžiai: savižudybės, paplitimas, klinika, prevencija, Lietuva, XX a. pirmoji pusė.Main Aim: characterize the epidemiology and prevention measures of suicidal behaviour in Lithuania in the first half of the XX century. Methods and Object. Using an analytical method, this investigation focused on the search for scientific publications relating to suicide, the critical analysis of these publications and subsequent interpretation of the main findings. The main objects of interest were research articles published in Lithuanian scientific journals in the first half of the XX century. Results and Conclusions. As a result of extensive search, nine articles related to the suicide theme were located in Lithuanian scientific journals from the first half of the 20th century: two articles on original scientific suicide research, two articles on practical work, four review and informative articles and one providing theoretical discussion of suicide risk factor. The authors of these articles were scientists of various professions: four psychiatrists, two pathologoanatomists and forensic experts, one doctor of internal medicine, a surgeon and a lawyer. The suicide rate in Lithuania in the first half of the XX century was one of the lowest in Europe, e.g., in 1929: Lithuania - 9/100 000 inhabitants, Austria - 39.9, Germany - 33.2, Hungary - 29.0, Switzerland - 26.1, France - 24.5, Denmark - 24.5, Great Britain - 17.6, Sweden - 15.0, Italy - 9.5. The most popular methods of suicide were poisoning, mostly by acetic acid, (41.0%) and hanging (19.6%), i.e. mechanical means of suicide were less popular. In that period, women were 3 times more represented amongst those attempting suicide and most suicide attempts (56%) were made by persons in the age range 20-29. One of methods of prevention was the restriction of sale of industrial use concentrated acetic acid, allowing only the sale of vinegar solution (no more than 30%). Other of methods - strengthening the character of young people and emphasising the role of schools and churches in playing an important role and establishing suicide prevention offices in every city. The paper presents extensive information about the epidemiological, clinical, social and preventive aspects that were typical not only in Lithuania, but also in Europe at that time. This analysis of scientific publications show that Lithuania was less prone to suicidal behaviour than many other European countries almost one hundred years ago and thus Lithuania cannot be considered a country with a genetic predisposition to suicide, furthermore revealing that the current high rates of observed suicidal behaviour are a phenomina that have developed since that time. Key words: suicide, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, prevention, Lithuania, the first half of the XX century