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Special Issues
Resilience, Stress, and Risk Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Resilience, Stress, and Risk Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 9032

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Donya A. Gilan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
Interests: resilience; protective factors; pandemic; SARS-CoV-2; mental distress; protective behavior
Dr. Omar Hahad

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Cardiology, Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
Interests: air pollution; particulate matter; cerebrovascular disorders; neurological disorders; mental disorders; stroke; dementia; oxidative stress; inflammation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted people's lives, with significant mental health consequences emerging. In addition to sociodemographic and COVID-19 specific factors, psychological risk and protective factors have shown to influence individual differences in mental burden and health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the unique scale and nature of the pandemic, few is known regarding which particular populations are vulnerable to mental health problems. To minimize risks for vulnerable groups, they must be identified, and the risk factors for vulnerability must be explored. Moreover, stepped care approaches, starting from low-threshold self-help interventions, must be developed, tailored to vulnerable groups and evaluated in order to have them at hand in case of future large-scale disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.

This special issue focuses on findings collected during the Covid-19 pandemic regarding at risk groups for poor mental health and strategies to protect and support their well-being. Special focus is put on perspectives of making the observations gained during the pandemic useful for future disease outbreaks or public health crises. In addition, this issue is open to papers discussing lessons learned from research under the conditions of an ongoing pandemic, in terms of how research systems could be prepared better to respond to future crises.

Topics on which we are expecting submissions (but not limited to):

  • Research on psychological risk and protective mechanisms for vulnerable groups in the context of the pandemic.
  • European comparison of the use of long-term healthcare and psychosocial services by individuals.
  • European comparison of research on policies and interventions aimed at protecting health workers and other groups at high-risk for pandemic-related distress.
  • Evaluation of stepped care interventions/interventions for vulnerable groups (for example, the elderly in inpatient settings, seasonal workers).
  • Practical implications for stabilizing health systems, especially in light of upcoming crises (bounce forward).
  • Research during the Covid-19 pandemic: Lessons learned.

Dr. Donya A. Gilan
Dr. Omar Hahad
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • resilience
  • stress
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • COVID-19
  • pandemic
  • mental health
  • health care
  • vulnerable groups
  • bounce forward
  • coping mechanisms stepped care
  • self-help
  • disease outbreak
  • public health emergency

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 407 KiB  
Article
Do Attachment Orientations Relate to Coping with Crises? Lessons from a Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Hadas Egozi Farkash, Mooli Lahad and Limor Aharonson-Daniel
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(12), 6177; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20126177 - 19 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1740
Abstract
This study was designed to explore whether attachment orientations were related to distress and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample included 2000 Israeli Jewish adults who answered an online survey during the first phase of the pandemic. The questions referred to background [...] Read more.
This study was designed to explore whether attachment orientations were related to distress and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample included 2000 Israeli Jewish adults who answered an online survey during the first phase of the pandemic. The questions referred to background variables, attachment orientations, distress, and resilience. Responses were analyzed using correlation and regression analyses. A significant positive relationship was found between distress and attachment anxiety, and a significant negative relationship was found between resilience and attachment insecurities (avoidance and anxiety). Women suffered higher distress, as did people with lower income, poor health, secular religious affiliation, a lack of a sense of spacious accommodation, and a dependent family member. The findings indicate that attachment insecurities are associated with the severity of mental health symptoms during the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend strengthening attachment security as a protective factor for psychological distress in therapeutic and educational settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilience, Stress, and Risk Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic)
16 pages, 365 KiB  
Article
Pandemic upon Pandemic: Middle-Aged and Older Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV Coping and Thriving during the Peak of COVID-19
by Sherry Bell, Brandon Ranuschio, John M. Waldron, Lianne Barnes, Nadia Sheik-Yosef, Esmeralda Villalobos, Janelle Wackens and Renato M. Liboro
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(11), 5979; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20115979 - 28 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2052
Abstract
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020, not only did it abruptly impede the progress that was being made toward achieving global targets to end the HIV pandemic, but it also created significant impacts on the physical and mental health of middle-aged [...] Read more.
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020, not only did it abruptly impede the progress that was being made toward achieving global targets to end the HIV pandemic, but it also created significant impacts on the physical and mental health of middle-aged and older men who have sex with men living with HIV. Utilizing a qualitative, community-based participatory research approach, we conducted semi-structured, one-on-one interviews with 16 ethnoracially diverse, middle-aged and older men who have sex with men living with HIV residing in Southern Nevada, to examine the different ways the COVID-19 pandemic directly impacted their physical and mental health, and explore how they eventually coped and thrived during the peak of the crisis. Using thematic analysis to analyze our interview data, we identified three prominent themes: (1) challenges to obtaining credible health information, (2) the physical and mental health impacts of the COVID-19-pandemic-imposed social isolation, and (3) digital technologies and online connections for medical and social purposes. In this article, we extensively discuss these themes, the current discourse on these themes in academic literature, and how the perspectives, input, and lived experiences of our participants during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic could be critical to addressing issues they had already been experiencing prior to the emergence of the pandemic in 2020, and just as importantly, helping us best prepare in stark anticipation of the next potentially devastating pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilience, Stress, and Risk Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic)

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

33 pages, 1256 KiB  
Review
Mental Health Impact of Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Individuals with Pre-Existing Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Research
by Angela M. Kunzler, Saskia Lindner, Nikolaus Röthke, Sarah K. Schäfer, Maria-Inti Metzendorf, Alexandra Sachkova, Roxana Müller-Eberstein, Carmen Klinger, Jacob Burns, Michaela Coenen and Klaus Lieb
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 948; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020948 - 4 Jan 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2666
Abstract
In view of disease-related threats, containment measures, and disrupted healthcare, individuals with pre-existing mental illness might be vulnerable to adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous reviews indicated increased mental distress, with limited information on peri-pandemic changes. In this systematic review, we aimed [...] Read more.
In view of disease-related threats, containment measures, and disrupted healthcare, individuals with pre-existing mental illness might be vulnerable to adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous reviews indicated increased mental distress, with limited information on peri-pandemic changes. In this systematic review, we aimed to identify longitudinal research investigating pre- to peri-pandemic and/or peri-pandemic changes of mental health in patients, focusing on the early phase and considering specific diagnoses. PsycINFO, Web of Science, the WHO Global literature on coronavirus disease database, and the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register weresearched through 31 May 2021. Studies were synthesized using vote counting based on effect direction. We included 40 studies mostly from Western, high-income countries. Findings were heterogeneous, with improving and deteriorating mental health observed compared to pre-pandemic data, partly depending on underlying diagnoses. For peri-pandemic changes, evidence was limited, with some suggestion of recovery of mental distress. Study quality was heterogeneous; only few studies investigated potential moderators (e.g., chronicity of mental illness). Mental health effects on people with pre-existing conditions are heterogeneous within and across diagnoses for pre- to peri-pandemic and peri-pandemic comparisons. To improve mental health services amid future global crises, forthcoming research should understand medium- and long-term effects, controlling for containment measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilience, Stress, and Risk Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic)
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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

19 pages, 1191 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies with Control Groups
by Chan-Young Kwon
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020909 - 4 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2047
Abstract
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction can arise after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and heart rate variability (HRV) tests can assess its integrity. This review investigated the relationship between the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on HRV parameters. Comprehensive searches were [...] Read more.
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction can arise after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and heart rate variability (HRV) tests can assess its integrity. This review investigated the relationship between the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on HRV parameters. Comprehensive searches were conducted in four electronic databases. Observational studies with a control group reporting the direct impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the HRV parameters in July 2022 were included. A total of 17 observational studies were included in this review. The square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD) was the most frequently investigated. Some studies found that decreases in RMSSD and high frequency (HF) power were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection or the poor prognosis of COVID-19. Also, decreases in RMSSD and increases in the normalized unit of HF power were related to death in critically ill COVID-19 patients. The findings showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the severity and prognosis of COVID-19, are likely to be reflected in some HRV-related parameters. However, the considerable heterogeneity of the included studies was highlighted. The methodological quality of the included observational studies was not optimal. The findings suggest rigorous and accurate measurements of HRV parameters are highly needed on this topic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilience, Stress, and Risk Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic)
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