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- Javakhishvili, Jana D, et al.
(författare)
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Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe : five lessons from the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Journal of Psychotraumatology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2000-8198 .- 2000-8066. ; 13:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The paper provides insights into the mental health consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic from the Central, Eastern, Nordic, Southern, and Western subregions of Europe, represented by five member countries of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS). On the basis of the existing national research and experiences in these countries, we propose five lessons learned. (1) There is no evidence of a mental health pandemic so far in the countries in focus. No increase in severe mental disorders but some increase in the symptoms of common mental health disorders are observable. More high-quality longitudinal studies are needed to understand the mental health burden of the pandemic. (2) The pandemic affects countries (including the mental health situation) differently, depending on the level of the exposure, management policies, pre-pandemic structural characteristics, and healthcare resources. (3) The pandemic affects people differently: the exposure severity to pandemic-related stressors differs between individuals, as well as individual resources to cope with these stressors. There are winners and losers as well as identifiable at-risk groups that need particular attention. (4) Besides the negative consequences, the pandemic has had a positive impact. The rapidly applied innovations within the system of healthcare responses provide a window of opportunity for positive changes in mental healthcare policies, strategies, and practices. The increased focus on mental health during the pandemic may contribute to the prioritization of mental health issues at policy-making and organizational levels and may reduce stigma. (5) A stress- and trauma-informed response to COVID-19 is required. The European community of psychotraumatologists under the leadership of ESTSS plays an important role in promoting stress- and trauma-informed healthcare and policies of pandemic management. Based on the lessons learned, we propose a stepped-care public mental health model for the prevention of adverse mental health outcomes during pandemics.HIGHLIGHTS: Population mental health is affected differently in the COVID-19 pandemic: there are winners and losers, as well as identifiable at-risk groups that need particular attention.A stress- and trauma-informed public mental health stepped-care model can address pandemic-related mental health burden in a systematic way.
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| 2. |
- Kazlauskas, Evaldas, et al.
(författare)
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Psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in 9230 adults across seven European countries : Findings from the ESTSS ADJUST study
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Affective Disorders. - : ELSEVIER. - 0165-0327 .- 1573-2517. ; 335, s. 18-23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The four-item Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) is a widely used screening measure for depression and anxiety.Objectives: This study aimed to test factor structure and measurement invariance in an adult sample of the general population across seven European countries.Method: A total sample of 9230 adults, 71.3 % female, Mage = 44.35 (SD = 14.11) from seven countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal, and Sweden) participated in the study. We applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance testing to evaluate mea-surement equivalence across countries, gender, and age groups.Results: The CFA yielded that a two-factor PHQ-4 model with separate depression and anxiety factors had the best fit. Partial scalar measurement invariance was established across different groups based on gender, age, and country.Conclusions: The PHQ-4 is a valid and reliable measure that can be applied to screen for depression and anxiety in the general population.Limitations: The limitation of the study includes the sampling, which resulted in the sample structure with the majority of females, predominantly of high education and from urban communities.
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| 4. |
- Lotzin, Annett, et al.
(författare)
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A longitudinal study of risk and protective factors for symptoms of adjustment disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2024
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Ingår i: European Journal of Psychotraumatology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2000-8198 .- 2000-8066. ; 15:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused multiple stressors that may lead to symptoms of adjustment disorder.Objective: We longitudinally examined relationships between risk and protective factors, pandemic-related stressors and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as whether these relationships differed by the time of assessment.Method: The European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) ADJUST Study included N = 15,169 participants aged 18 years and above. Participants from 11 European countries were recruited and screened three times at 6-month intervals from June 2020 to January 2022. Associations between risk and protective factors (e.g. gender), stressors (e.g. fear of infection), and symptoms of adjustment disorder (AjD, ADNM-8) and their interaction with time of assessment were examined using mixed linear regression.Results: The following predictors were significantly associated with higher AjD symptom levels: female or diverse gender; older age; pandemic-related news consumption >30 min a day; a current or previous mental health disorder; trauma exposure before or during the pandemic; a good, satisfactory or poor health status (vs. very good); burden related to governmental crisis management and communication; fear of infection; restricted social contact; work-related problems; restricted activity; and difficult housing conditions. The following predictors were associated with lower AjD levels: self-employment or retirement; working in healthcare; and face-to-face contact ≥ once a week with loved ones or friends. The effects of the following predictors on AjD symptoms differed by the time of assessment in the course of the pandemic: a current or previous mental disorder; burden related to governmental crisis management; income reduction; and a current trauma exposure.Conclusions: We identified risk factors and stressors predicting AjD symptom levels at different stages of the pandemic. For some predictors, the effects on mental health may change at different stages of a pandemic.
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| 5. |
- Lotzin, Annett, et al.
(författare)
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Risk and protective factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in trauma-exposed individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic - findings from a pan-European study
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Journal of Psychotraumatology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2000-8198 .- 2000-8066. ; 13:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a health emergency resulting in multiple stressors that may be related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Objective: This study examined relationships between risk and protective factors, pandemic-related stressors, and PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Data from the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) ADJUST Study were used. N = 4,607 trauma-exposed participants aged 18 years and above were recruited from the general populations of eleven countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden) from June to November 2020. We assessed sociodemographic (e.g. gender), pandemic-related (e.g. news consumption), and health-related (e.g. general health condition) risk and protective factors, pandemic-related stressors (e.g. fear of infection), and probable PTSD (PC-PTSD-5). The relationships between these variables were examined using logistic regression on multiple imputed data sets.Results: The prevalence of probable PTSD was 17.7%. Factors associated with an increased risk for PTSD were younger age, female gender, more than 3 h of daily pandemic-related news consumption (vs. no consumption), a satisfactory, poor, or very poor health condition (vs. a very good condition), a current or previous diagnosis of a mental disorder, and trauma exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors associated with a reduced risk for PTSD included a medium and high income (vs. very low income), face-to-face contact less than once a week or 3-7 times a week (vs. no contact), and digital social contact less than once a week or 1-7 days a week (vs. no contact). Pandemic-related stressors associated with an increased risk for PTSD included governmental crisis management and communication, restricted resources, restricted social contact, and difficult housing conditions.Conclusion: We identified risk and protective factors as well as stressors that may help identify trauma-exposed individuals at risk for PTSD, enabling more efficient and rapid access to care.
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| 6. |
- Lotzin, Annett, et al.
(författare)
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Risk and protective factors, stressors, and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic – First results of the ESTSS COVID-19 pan-European ADJUST study
- 2021
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Ingår i: European Journal of Psychotraumatology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2000-8198 .- 2000-8066. ; 12:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic exposes individuals to multiple stressors, such as quarantine, physical distancing, job loss, risk of infection, and loss of loved ones. Such a complex array of stressors potentially lead to symptoms of adjustment disorder.Objective This cross-sectional exploratory study examined relationships between risk and protective factors, stressors, and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData from the first wave of the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) longitudinal ADJUST Study were used. N = 15,563 participants aged 18 years and above were recruited in eleven countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden) from June to November 2020. Associations between risk and protective factors (e.g. gender, diagnosis of a mental health disorder), stressors (e.g. fear of infection, restricted face-to-face contact), and symptoms of adjustment disorder (ADNM-8) were examined using multivariate linear regression.ResultsThe prevalence of self-reported probable adjustment disorder was 18.2%. Risk factors associated with higher levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder were female gender, older age, being at risk for severe COVID-19 illness, poorer general health status, current or previous trauma exposure, a current or previous mental health disorder, and longer exposure to COVID-19 news. Protective factors related to lower levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder were higher income, being retired, and having more face-to-face contact with loved ones or friends. Pandemic-related stressors associated with higher levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder included fear of infection, governmental crisis management, restricted social contact, work-related problems, restricted activity, and difficult housing conditions.ConclusionsWe identified stressors, risk, and protective factors that may help identify individuals at higher risk for adjustment disorder.
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| 7. |
- Lotzin, Annett, et al.
(författare)
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Stressors, coping and symptoms of adjustment disorder in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic - study protocol of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) pan-European study
- 2020
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Ingår i: European Journal of Psychotraumatology. - : TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 2000-8198 .- 2000-8066. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the people in Europe are exposed to self-isolation, quarantine, job loss, risk of contracting COVID-19, or grief of loved ones. Such a complex array of stressors may lead to symptoms of adjustment disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder. This research protocol describes a study launched by the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on symptoms of adjustment disorder across European countries. Objective: The longitudinal online cohort study aims (1) to explore psychosocial reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic across ten European countries; (2) to examine the relationships between risk and resilience factors, stressors and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the pandemic; and (3) to investigate whether these relationships are moderated by coping behaviours. Method: In ten countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden), between 1,000 and 2,000 participants will be recruited, depending on the size of the country. Participants will be assessed at two timepoints with a six-month interval. Following a conceptual framework based on the WHO's social framework of health, an assessment of risk and resilience factors, COVID-19 related stressors and pandemic-specific coping behaviours will be measured to estimate their contribution to symptoms of adjustment disorder. The Adjustment Disorder New Module 8 (ADNM-8) will be used to assess symptoms of adjustment disorder. As a secondary measure, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder will be measure using the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5). Data analysis: The relative contribution of risk factors, resilience factors, and stressors on symptoms of adjustment disorder or symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder will be estimated using multilevel analysis. To determine the moderating effects of different types of coping behaviours on these relationships, a multilevel mediation analysis will be carried out.
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