Age and distress of women-results of a representative population-based study

Abstract Little research has been carried out on prevalence rates of distress (e.g. depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), hopelessness, and burnout) of women in different age groups. The aims of this study were to measure the prevalence rate of depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, hopelessness, and burnout among women and to clarify the associations between age groups and distress. Cross sectional epidemiological study on women in Sweden (n=6,000, aged 18-64 years, response rate 64.1%). Measures were questionnaires on socio-economic and work-related characteristics and on depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, hopelessness, and burnout

European public mental health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic

Erworben im Rahmen der Schweizer Nationallizenzen (http://www.nationallizenzen.ch)Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic increased multiple risk factors for mental health. Evidence-based, intersectoral public mental health responses are therefore critical. The primary aim of this study was to collate public mental health responses from across Europe. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in March 2021. Participants were public and mental health professionals from across Europe. We developed an online instrument exploring five domains: changes in mental health supports during the pandemic; mental health support for vulnerable groups; multi-sectoral and service-user involvement; published mental health response plans; and perceived quality of overall country response. Results: Fifty-two individuals from 20 European nations responded. Reported changes in mental health supports included an increase in online mental health supports (n = 18); but no change in long-term mental health funding (n = 13); and a decrease in access to early interventions (n = 9). Responses indicated mental health support for vulnerable groups was limited, as was multi-sectoral and service-user involvement. Few national mental health response plans existed (n = 9) and 48% of respondents felt their countries mental health response had been ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. Conclusions: Our results give insights into the changes in mental health support at a country level across Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic. They indicate countries were not prepared to respond and people with existing vulnerabilities were often neglected in response planning. To be prepared for future pandemics and environmental disasters Public Mental Health preparedness plans are highly needed. These must be developed cross-departmentally, and through the meaningful inclusion of vulnerable groups

Migrant Women-experiences from the Mediterranean Region

Introduction: The phenomenon of migration is characterized and influenced by a number of different variables; and the different stages of journey are related to different levels and types of psychological distress. Women, in particular, are exposed to further specific risks during migration.Aim: To determine the factors that affect the psychological health of migrant women during the different stages of the migration journey.Methods: We provide a narrative review of the literature around the experiences of women during migration process, with a geographical focus on women migrating to the Mediterranean area.Results: Little data is currently available on the burden of mental health disorders for female migrants. Most studies about the mental health status of migrants were not gender-disaggregated or focused specifically on migrant women's experiences of violence. Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) was found to be a common risk factor faced by all the women who leave their native country to migrate to other countries.Conclusion: Despite the importance of the issue and the gender-specific variables related to the experience of migrant women, few studies have looked specifically at psychological variables and mental health status in the female migrant population. It is crucial that future studies are conducted around female migration, violence towards women, and women's mental health, in order to provide an evidence-base for promoting adequate policies and prevention/treatment programs for women

Health-related Sustainable Development Goals:Countdown on alcohol use, smoking prevalence, child overweight and suicide mortality

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of goals that aspire to 'leave no one behind', adopted by all members of the United Nations and to be achieved by 2030. Now, four years after the SDGs entered into force, we examine the progress towards the health-related SDGs in the European region. In this region, least progress is made towards the targets set for alcohol consumption, smoking prevalence, child overweight, and suicide mortality. For each of these challenges we take stock of current policies, continuing challenges, and ways forward. Written from the perspective of European Public Health Association (EUPHA) we emphasize the potential contribution of civil society organizations in attaining the health-related SDGs

Threats to Belonging-Stressful Life Events and Mental Health Symptoms in Aging Men-A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Objectives: Stressful life events, especially relationship events, are frequent in adult life. We investigated the impact of a variety of stressful life events on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hostility. Methods: We analyzed data from a large prospective cohort study of men (n = 1,437) in the Boston area (assessed in 1985, 1988, and 1991). Main outcomes were measures of depression, anxiety and hostility symptoms. We used the Elders Life Stress Inventory (ELSI) to measure stressful life events in the past 12 months and examine their association with symptoms of depression, anxiety and hostility. First, we analyzed the association of stressful life events with symptom changes; second, we categorized stressful life events into finance/work, health, relationships, loss, living situations events; and third, we estimated the specific association between relationship events and depression, anxiety and hostility symptoms using multilevel models. Results: The most frequent stressful life events were health, relationship, and financial events. Depression, anxiety, and hostility symptoms were relatively stable among men who did not experience these life events. However, those who reported life events in the past 12 months had a greater increase in symptoms of depression (+0.05; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.10) and of hostility (+0.05; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.09) than those who did not. Additionally, we found a significant decrease in hostility (-0.05; 95% CI: -0.08 to -0.01) in those experiencing no life events. Conclusion: Relationship events were more important than any other type of events, and were significantly associated with increased depression and hostility in aging men. Although the effects were small, the results point to a need to understand better the impact of relationships on psychopathology in the aging population

Suppression of environmental health scientists: real-world examples as a basis for action

Pressures on epidemiologists, toxicologists, and on public health scientists to suppress their work are known to occur worldwide. In this article, we share six stories from environmental health scientists about the pressures they faced in their jobs after bringing public health problems to light. The method used to document each of the stories was to invite scientists who attended meetings of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology to tell their own stories of having experienced research suppression. We then extracted the salient features of each experience into a coherent story, providing references as corroboration where possible. The specific purpose in going public with the six stories presented in this article is to open a conversation to better equip colleagues to stand up to pressures to suppress their work. By publicly sharing the pressures experienced by these scientists in attempts to suppress their scientific work, including intimidation, harassment, threats and/or bullying, other scientists may be better able to withstand such pressures. In the absence of a larger collection of stories, we are unable to identify common approaches taken against suppression. It appears that a focus on scientific excellence and tenacity are two major factors likely to have contributed to the ability to withstand pressure. We encourage others to tell their stories. Bringing examples of these instances to attention will make them familiar enough to be less intimidating should others experience anything similar. Additional documented experiences will expand the base of stories and thus help colleagues to withstand the pressures wielded by special interests. Shining a light on these pressures will remove barriers, not only to advancing the science, but also to protecting the public interest

The long-term health consequences of genocide: developing GESQUQ - a genocide studies checklist.

BACKGROUND: Genocide is an atrocity that seeks to destroy whole populations, leaving empty countries, empty spaces and empty memories, but also a large health burden among survivors is enormous. We propose a genocide reporting checklist to encourage consistent high quality in studies designed to provide robust and reliable data on the long term impact of genocide. METHODS: An interdisciplinary (Public Health, epidemiology, psychiatry, medicine, sociology, genocide studies) and international working committee of experts from Germany, Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom used an iterative consensus process to develop a genocide studies checklist for studies of the long term health consequences. RESULTS: We created a list of eight domains (A Ethical approval, B External validity, C Misclassification, D Study design, E Confounder, F Data collection, G Withdrawal) with 1-3 specific items (total 17). CONCLUSION: The genocide studies checklist is easy to use for authors, journal editors, peer reviewers, and others involved in documenting the health consequences of genocide

The association between Major Depressive Disorder and premature death risk in hematologic and solid cancer: a longitudinal cohort study

Background: the aim was to verify the association between Major Depressive Disorders (MDD) and the risk of premature death in people with oncological diseases, and to collect evidence about the causality of a possible association from a longitudinal perspective.Design and Methods: it is a cohort study lasting 9 months, involving people with solid or hematologic cancers. The assessment was conducted by an ad hoc form to collect socio-demographic and clinical-oncological data, the PHQ-9 to screen MDD (cut-off ≥10) and the SF-12 to evaluate HRQoL. Relative Risk (RR) of early death between MDD exposed and not-exposed and Kaplan-Meier survival were carried out.Results: people exposed to MDD during the follow-up were 107/263 (40.7%). Among them, 36 deceased during the observation period. Overtime, having MDD and death’ occurrence showed a strong association (RR=2.15; 95% CI (1.10-4.20); χ²=5.224, p=0.0022), confirmed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (χ²=4.357, p=0.037). Among people who died, there was not any association between MDD, age, gender, HRQoL, cancer stage and site.Conclusions: the study confirms the association between MDD and early death in people with cancer. The absence of any association between the onset of MDD and advanced stage of cancer may suggest that it could be due to the consequences of MDD in worsening the clinical conditions related to cancer. The findings point out the relevance of MDD’ early detention among people with cancer

Statement of the ASPHER Task Force on War and Public Health on the Conflict in Israel/Palestine

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