Frontiers in Public Health最新文献

{"title":"Psychological burden of hearing-impaired children and their parents through the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"Donglei Li, Ken Lin, Xinru Cen, Yuwei Fan, Liping Hong, Zhao Wu, Wenliang Chen, Xinqi Zhong","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1403729","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1403729","url":null,"abstract":"ObjectiveChildhood hearing impairment has potential repercussions on the mental well-being of both children and their parents. As a vulnerable population in accessing health care services, they may face specific challenges, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the association between childhood hearing impairment and the mental health of children and their parents, and to assess health care utilization of hearing-impaired children and its impact on mental outcomes for both during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsUsing the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) database, we analyzed data for 15,989 children aged 5–17 and their corresponding parents. The correlations between childhood hearing impairment and mental outcomes were examined using logistic regression models. The 2020 (quarter 3 and quarter 4)-2021 NHIS data was singled out and re-analyzed, focusing on the utilization of medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsAfter accounting for covariates, hearing-impaired children exhibited a higher frequency of anxiety (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.79–3.02) or depression (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.59–2.88). Parents of hearing-impaired children had significantly higher odds of a higher frequency of anxiety (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.20–2.01) or depression (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.30–2.29). Interaction effect of hearing impairment with survey year on parents’ mental health outcomes was observed (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> for interaction &amp;lt;0.1). Children with hearing loss had higher odds of reporting delayed medical care (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.11–3.59) or canceled medical care (OR 1.96, 95% CI 0.98–3.96, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.059) due to the pandemic. Delayed medical care (OR 12.41, 95% CI 2.78–55.46) or canceled medical care (OR 6.26, 95% CI 1.28–30.75) due to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly contributed to the increase of anxiety frequency in hearing-impaired children.ConclusionChildhood hearing impairment exhibits a substantial impact on children’s and parental mental health, which is further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Families of hearing-impaired children appear to be in a vulnerable position during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which can further exacerbate their mental outcomes.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Precision prevention in occupational health: a conceptual analysis and development of a unified understanding and an integrative framework","authors":"Filip Mess, Simon Blaschke, Doris Gebhard, Julian Friedrich","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1444521","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1444521","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionPrecision prevention implements highly precise, tailored health interventions for individuals by directly addressing personal and environmental determinants of health. However, precision prevention does not yet appear to be fully established in occupational health. There are numerous understandings and conceptual approaches, but these have not yet been systematically presented or synthesized. Therefore, this conceptual analysis aims to propose a unified understanding and develop an integrative conceptual framework for precision prevention in occupational health.MethodsFirstly, to systematically present definitions and frameworks of precision prevention in occupational health, six international databases were searched for studies published between January 2010 and January 2024 that used the term precision prevention or its synonyms in the context of occupational health. Secondly, a qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyze the existing definitions and propose a unified understanding. Thirdly, based on the identified frameworks, a multi-stage exploratory development process was applied to develop and propose an integrative conceptual framework for precision prevention in occupational health.ResultsAfter screening 3,681 articles, 154 publications were reviewed, wherein 29 definitions of precision prevention and 64 different frameworks were found, which can be summarized in eight higher-order categories. The qualitative content analysis revealed seven themes and illustrated many different wordings. The proposed unified understanding of precision prevention in occupational health takes up the identified themes. It includes, among other things, a contrast to a “one-size-fits-all approach” with a risk- and resource-oriented data collection and innovative data analytics with profiling to provide and improve tailored interventions. The developed and proposed integrative conceptual framework comprises three overarching stages: (1) data generation, (2) data management lifecycle and (3) interventions (development, implementation and adaptation).DiscussionAlthough there are already numerous studies on precision prevention in occupational health, this conceptual analysis offers, for the first time, a proposal for a unified understanding and an integrative conceptual framework. However, the proposed unified understanding and the developed integrative conceptual framework should only be seen as an initial proposal that should be critically discussed and further developed to expand and strengthen both research on precision prevention in occupational health and its practical application in the workplace.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The development of depression and social anxiety symptoms in adolescents and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and desire for peer contact","authors":"Anne L. Pinkse-Schepers, J. Marieke Buil, Hester Sijtsma, Miriam Hollarek, Reubs J. Walsh, Mariët van Buuren, Lydia Krabbendam, Nikki C. Lee","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1374327","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1374327","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionAdolescence is a dynamic developmental phase in which contact with peers is crucial for socio-emotional development and wellbeing. Depression and social anxiety show patterns of high onset during this period, and more for girls than boys. Here we examine this development among Dutch adolescents, as well as how desire for more peer contact as a result of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to this increase.MethodsWe used a longitudinal three-wave design to examine 406 typically developing Dutch adolescents across two consecutive cohorts; Cohort 1: 2016–2019 (<jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 138, 53.6% girls, age at T0 <jats:italic>M</jats:italic> = 13.00, <jats:italic>SD</jats:italic> = 0.42), Cohort 2: 2017–2020 (<jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 268, 63.1% girls, age at T0 <jats:italic>M</jats:italic> = 13.05, <jats:italic>SD</jats:italic> = 0.39), final wave during spring 2020 during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure depression and social anxiety symptoms, desire for change in the amount of peer contact during lockdowns, and emotion regulation. Parallel process dual latent growth models and autoregressive cross-lagged models were used to test the hypotheses.ResultsResults showed that symptoms of both depression and social anxiety increase during adolescence. Gender analysis reveal a higher initial level and increase in depression symptoms for girls, while levels for boys decreased. Adolescents exposed to the pandemic showed a steeper increase in depression but not in social anxiety. Desire for more peer contact was related to an increase in depression and social anxiety, though only in girls. No evidence was found for moderation of emotion regulation skills concerning COVID evoked emotions on the association between desire for peer contact and anxiety and depression symptom development.DiscussionSymptoms of social anxiety increased during adolescence in boys and girls. Symptoms of depression increased for girls, but decreased for boys. The increase in depression was greater in a cohort who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. For girls, a desire for more peer contact was associated with an increase of depression and social anxiety symptoms in times of social restrictions.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evidence map of traditional Chinese exercises","authors":"Yan Yu, Tongtong Wu, Murou Wu, Shaonan Liu, Xueyin Chen, Jinpeng Wu, Xinfeng Guo, Lihong Yang","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1347201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1347201","url":null,"abstract":"ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess and visually depict the clinical evidence landscape of traditional Chinese exercises and identify any research gaps and future research needs.MethodsWe comprehensively searched seven Chinese and English databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) evaluating the effects of traditional Chinese exercises from their inception until May 2023. The quality of evidence was assessed via the GRADE approach, and the research topics, intervention effects, and strength of evidence were graphically displayed.ResultsThis evidence map includes 2,017 studies, comprising 1,822 RCTs and 195 SRs. These studies were conducted globally in various countries. Among the traditional Chinese exercises, Tai Chi and Baduanjin have received the most research attention, with a growing number of publications. When traditional Chinese exercises were compared with the control groups, 88.2% of the included SRs reported significantly positive effects, 4.1% reported unclear effects, and 7.7% reported no significant differences. The findings suggested that traditional Chinese exercises could benefit patients with osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, anxiety, and depression. However, the overall quality of the evidence was suboptimal, with 11.3% rated as moderate, 45.6% as low, and 43.1% as critically low.ConclusionThis evidence map visually represents valuable information on traditional Chinese exercises. While most studies have reported significant benefits, the overall quality of evidence is low.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Linkages between Soil Security and One Health: implications for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals","authors":"Tom Swan, Alex McBratney, Damien Field","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1447663","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1447663","url":null,"abstract":"Soil provides multiple and diverse functions (e.g., the provision of food and the regulation of carbon), which underpin the health of animals, humans, the environment and the planet. However, the world’s soils face existential challenges. To this end, the concept of Soil Security was developed, compelled to: “maintain and improve soils worldwide so that they can continue to provide food, fiber and fresh water, contribute to energy and climate sustainability and help to maintain biodiversity and the overall protection of ecosystem goods and services.” In parallel, the concept of One Health likewise works across the human–animal–environment interface, highly relevant for the goals of Soil Security. In this review, we evaluated the roles which both the Soil Security and One Health concepts have served in the literature between 2012 and 2023 and explore the potential linkages between both concepts. We outline that both concepts are used in disparate fields, despite considerable overlap in aims and objectives. We highlight the Soil Health concept as a potential connector between Soil Security and One Health. Overall, we argue that both Soil Security and One Health are highly complementary fields of scientific inquiry with solid leverage for translation into policy and practice. However, there is a need to define One Health dimensions, as has been done for Soil Security. As such, we proffer five measurable dimensions for One Health, the “5Cs”–Capacity, Condition, Capital, Connectivity and Codification–to allow for an overall measure of One Health. Finally, we advocate for a biosphere-focused framework to collectively make progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and other global existential challenges.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hypertension risk pathways in urban built environment: the case of Yuhui District, Bengbu City, China","authors":"Kangkang Gu, Yao Jing, Jingjing Tang, Xianjie Jia, Xinmu Zhang, Beichen Wang","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1443416","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1443416","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionThe rapid development of urbanization has brought about changes in residents’ living environment and behavior, leading to health challenges such as hypertension. An improvement in the built-up environment in the community could contribute to the construction of a healthy city, promote the active life of the residents, and prevent and relieve hypertension. However, there is little research on the relationship between the built environment of the community and hypertension. This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the relationship between communities’ built environment, health behavior, and hypertension grade of residents in Yuhui District of Bengbu City.MethodsThis study is based on data from the 2022 Health Survey of Residents in 21 communities. To investigate the impact of the community’s built environment on residents’ hypertension and the underlying mechanisms, regression and structural equation modeling were employed.Results and discussionThe results show that the built environment of urban communities has a significant impact on the residents’ hypertension. The presence of high densities of supermarkets, convenience stores, parks and plazas, but low densities of clinics and hospitals, has been identified as a significant risk factor for the development of high blood pressure among the residents. Nevertheless, the adoption of healthy behaviors, including regular walking, physical activity, and a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, can play an important role in reducing the risk of hypertension. The findings of this study show that enhancements to the built environment in urban neighborhoods could contribute to a reduction in the prevalence of hypertension among residents. Furthermore, the implementation of efficacious health interventions in urban settings would facilitate the alteration of residents’ health behaviors and enhance their overall health status.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cardiometabolic index is associated with increased bone mineral density: a population-based cross-sectional study","authors":"Xujin Wu, Xixin Jin, Wei Xu, Chang She, Liubing Li, Yongtao Mao","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1403450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1403450","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundOsteoporosis is a multifactorial bone disease in which lipid metabolism plays an important role. Bone Mineral Density (BMD) measured by Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) is a critical indicator for diagnosing osteoporosis. The cardiometabolic index (CMI) is a novel metric that combines two quantitative indicators of blood lipids—triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). This study explores the association between CMI and BMD and seeks to elucidate the role of lipid metabolism in the context of bone health.MethodsBased on the data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–March 2020-pre-pandemic, weighted multiple linear regression and smooth curve fitting were used to study the relationship between CMI and femoral BMD. Stratified analyses were also conducted for age, gender, BMI, ethnicity, diabetes and hypertension status. And, the saturation threshold effect of CMI was further analyzed using a two-stage linear regression model.ResultThis study enrolled a total of 1,650 participants (48.7% males), with an average age of 63.0 ± 8.6 years. After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, CMI was positively correlated with total femur BMD, trochanter BMD, and intertrochanter BMD, while the correlation with femur neck BMD was not statistically significant. In the fully adjusted model, each unit increase in CMI was associated with a 0.026 (g/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>) increase in total femur BMD, a 0.022 (g/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>) increase in trochanter BMD, and a 0.034 (g/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>) increase in intertrochanter BMD. Subjects in the highest quartile of CMI had a 0.034 (g/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>) increase in total femur BMD, a 0.035 (g/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>) increase in trochanter BMD, and a 0.039 (g/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>) increase in intertrochanter BMD in the fully-adjusted model compared to those in the lowest quartile. In addition, saturation was observed between CMI and total femur BMD, trochanter BMD and intertrochanter BMD, with saturation thresholds of 1.073, 1.431 and 1.073, respectively.ConclusionCMI is strongly associated with BMD, indicating its potential relevance in bone metabolism. However, the role of CMI in the context of bone health, especially regarding osteoporosis risk, requires further investigation in large-scale prospective studies.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"DRG payment for major pancreatic surgery: analysis of resource consumption and suggestions from a tertiary hospital in China","authors":"Rui Hou, Xiaokun Liu, Jingya Zhou, Taiping Zhang, Weibin Wang, Weiguo Zhu","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1437272","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1437272","url":null,"abstract":"AimTo investigate the cost homogeneity within the Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) “major operation of pancreas and liver, with general complications or comorbidities” (HB13), its cost-influencing factors, and to propose suggestions for better grouping efficacy.MethodsMedical and insurance settlement data of inpatients covered by the DRG payment system at the author’s institution were collected from March 15, 2022 to December 31, 2023. The cost homogeneity of group HB13 was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV). Clinical factors that may have an impact on hospitalization cost for patients undergoing pancreatic surgery were identified through a semi-structured interview administered to the pancreatic surgeons in author’s department, their significance was analyzed using multiple linear regression, along with their impact on the cost of different service categories. A proposal to subdivide HB13 was made and evaluated by CV and t-test.ResultsThe CV of the HB13 group was 0.4. Robotic-assisted surgery and pancreaticoduodenectomy were two independent factors that significantly affected the total cost. Patients undergoing robotic-assisted surgery have an average increase of 41,873 CNY in total cost, primarily derived from operation fee. Patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy have an average increase of 37,487 CNY in total cost, with significant increases across all service categories. HB13 was subdivided based on whether pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. The newly formed groups exhibited lower CVs than the original HB13.ConclusionThe cost homogeneity of HB13 was lower than that of other DRG groups in author’s department. It is recommended to introduce a supplementary payment for patients requiring robotic-assisted surgery, to guarantee their access to this advanced technology. It is recommended to establish a new group with higher payment standard for patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. A tiered CV criterion for the evaluation of grouping efficacy is recommended to increase intra-group homogeneity, facilitating a better allocation of health insurance funds, and the prevention of unintended negative outcomes such as service cuts and cherry-picking.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Accelerating rare disease detection: an experience of multidisciplinary team model in undiagnosed diseases program in a children’s hospital","authors":"Yu Shi, Shijian Miao, Yuan Yuan, Yang Fu, Chengjun Sun, Hongsheng Wang, MengMeng Ge, Dongyun Li, Guomei Shen, Xuan Gao, Xiaowen Zhai","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1373649","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1373649","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundA definite diagnosis goes undiscovered for a percentage of children with undiagnosed disorders, with significant medical, psychological, and social effects. Other than specialized clinical centers, exceptional molecular studies, common procedures, and devoted activities at the national and international levels, children with complex undiagnosed disorders require innovative approaches.MethodsIn March 2016, Children’s hospital of Fudan university represented the Children’s Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP). The purpose of this study is to describe the project findings and underline the critical significance of multidisciplinary teamwork in China’s undiagnosed rare illnesses program. We investigated the 758 cases in our UDP system retrospectively. Demographic information, laboratory test results, and genetic information were gathered.ResultsBetween January 2017 and December 2021, 758 cases were examined. Males made up 436 (57.5%) of the total. Over half of the patients were children under the age of five. The average patient course time preceding admission to UDP was 6.0 months (95% CI 10.512.6). These patients visited an average of 1.8 clinics during their diagnostic journey. Except for 69 individuals (90.9%), all had more than one presenting symptom in various organs: 460 (60.7%) had neurology difficulties, 151 (19.9%) had endocrine problems, and 141 (18.6%) had immunology problems. UDP has a diagnosis rate of 61.3%. Genetic testing was performed on 469 of the 758 patients, for a genetic diagnosis rate of 15.8%. The UDP method has a sensitivity of 94.5%, a specificity of 86.4%, a positive predictive value of 92.8%, and an negative predictive value of 89.5%.ConclusionOur UDP targets an unmet need, namely the diagnosis of patients with complicated, multisystem illnesses. Using a multidisciplinary team model approach, this UDP pilot study achieved a reasonable diagnosis success rate, increasing the possibility of more diagnoses and new scientific discoveries of difficult and rare diseases.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Academic and non-academic predictors of common mental health difficulties among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"Joanne Worsley, Amy Dryburgh, Jason C. McIntyre, Rhiannon Corcoran","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2024.1441176","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1441176","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionPublic concern for the mental health of university students has been rising over recent years. Newly arising stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic could contribute to further mental health burden for students. This study aimed to understand the mental health status of university students at an early stage in the pandemic and to identify academic, non-academic, and COVID-19-related predictors of common mental health difficulties at this time.MethodsThis study examined how academic and non-academic predictors relate to common mental health difficulties using a cross-sectional sample of university students (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 3817).ResultsThere were high levels of depression and anxiety during the pandemic, with more than 50% experiencing levels above the clinical cut offs. Academic stress, social isolation, intolerance of uncertainty, and more negative attitudes towards remote teaching and learning predicted higher levels of depression and anxiety. University identification predicted lower levels of depression whereas receiving a diagnosis of COVID-19 was associated with higher levels of depression.DiscussionThis study identified COVID-19-related factors that uniquely contributed to students’ distress during the pandemic, over and above social connectivity variables. As COVID-19 factors, such as the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, may have driven an increase in distress levels among students, these findings provide insights that could help universities and policymakers develop targeted interventions to support the mental health and well-being of university students during future crises.","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142258487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}