Retrospective examination of psychosocial support services offered in the COVID-19 outbreak: Psychosocial support services and COVID-19

Zeynep Meva Altaş; Mehmet Akif Sezerol

doi:10.5281/zenodo.8183933

Authors

Zeynep Meva Altaş Umraniye District Health Directorate, Istanbul, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0475-8946
Mehmet Akif Sezerol Istanbul Medipol University Institute of Health Sciences, Epidemiology Program, Istanbul, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6744-1343

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8183933

Keywords:

COVID-19, psychosocial support, mental health

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the online psychosocial support services provided to COVID-19 cases at a district level and to examine the characteristics of those who use this service.
Methods: This is a retrospectively designed cross-sectional descriptive study. COVID-19 patients who received psychosocial support services in a district in Istanbul between April 1 2020 and December 31 2022 constituted the study population. They received psychosocial support via telephone from psychologists/social workers. Psychosocial risk was evaluated with seven questions. A total of 2770 people were interviewed. Pearson chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used for categorical variables, while the Mann‒Whitney U test was used to compare two independent groups. A binary logistic regression test was used in further analysis.
Results: The median age was 36.0 years. Of the participants, 52.5% (n=1455) were women, 75.9% (n=2092) were married and 66.9% (n=1852) had less than a high school education. A total of 19.8% (n=532) had chronic diseases and 29 (1.1%) were healthcare workers. Of the patients, 3.0% (n=83) were pregnant, 0.8% (n=21) were women in the postpartum period and 0.2% (n=6) were disabled individuals. The participants were mostly at high risk for psychiatric disorders [2.7%(n=75)]. Of the participants, 1.4% (n=38) were at high risk for family problems, 0.5% (n=14) for lack of social support and physical discomfort, 0.3% (n=8) for changes in sleep and eating patterns, and 0.1% (n=3) for economic loss. One participant was at high risk for changes in daily habits. Of the participants, 5.1% (n=140) were considered to be at high risk in at least one psychosocial support area. Women, vulnerable groups, people with low education and chronic diseases had significantly higher psychosocial support needs (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, the presence of chronic disease and being in a vulnerable group had significant effects on psychosocial support needs (p<0.001).
Conclusion: It is extremely important that psychosocial support services are disseminated and accessible, especially to vulnerable groups. In this context, remote support services via telephone are essential.

References

Galea S, Merchant RM, Lurie N. The mental health consequences of COVID-19 and physical distancing: the need for prevention and early intervention. JAMA Intern Med. 2020;180:817-8.

World Health Organization. Assessing mental health and psychosocial needs and resources: Tool kit for humanitarian settings: World Health Organization; 2012.

Huang Y, Zhao N. Generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and sleep quality during COVID-19 outbreak in China: a web-based cross-sectional survey. Psychiatry Res. 2020;288:112954.

Sun L, Sun Z, Wu L, Zhu Z, Zhang F, Shang Z, et al. Prevalence and risk factors of acute posttraumatic stress symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China. Med Rxiv. 2020;10:06.20032425.

Siegel K, Schrimshaw EW, Pretter S. Stress-related growth among women living with HIV/AIDS: Examination of an explanatory model. J Behav Med. 2005;28:403-14.

Widows MR, Jacobsen PB, Booth-Jones M, Fields KK. Predictors of posttraumatic growth following bone marrow transplantation for cancer. Health Psychol. 2005;24:266.

Grills-Taquechel AE, Littleton HL, Axsom D. Social support, world assumptions, and exposure as predictors of anxiety and quality of life following a mass trauma. J Anxiety Disord. 2011;25:498-506.

Kaniasty K. Predicting social psychological well-being following trauma: The role of postdisaster social support. Psychol Trauma. 2012;4:22.

Papagiouvanni I, Kotoulas SC, Vettas C, Sourla E, Pataka A. Sleep During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2022:1-9.

Oviedo DC, Pinzón MS, Rodríguez-Araña S, Tratner AE, Pauli-Quirós E, Chavarría C, et al. Psychosocial response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Panama. Front Public Health. 2022;10.

Oberndorfer M, Dorner TE, Brunnmayr M, Berger K, Dugandzic B, Bach M. Health‐r elated and socio‐economic burden of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Vienna. Health Soc Care Community. 2022;30:1550-61.

Mendes LL, Canella DS, de Araújo ML, Jardim MZ, de Oliveira Cardoso L, Pessoa MC. Food environments and the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: analysis of changes observed in 2020. Public Health Nutr. 2022;25:32-5.

Alimoradi Z, Broström A, Tsang HW, Griffiths MD, Haghayegh S, Ohayon MM, et al. Sleep problems during COVID-19 pandemic and its’ association to psychological distress: A systematic review and meta-analysis. E Clinical Medicine. 2021;36:100916.

WHO. COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide 2022. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide. Access: 22.12.2022.

Santabárbara J, Lasheras I, Lipnicki DM, Bueno-Notivol J, Pérez-Moreno M, López-Antón R, et al. Prevalence of anxiety in the COVID-19 pandemic: An updated meta-analysis of community-based studies. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021;109:110207.

Núñez A, Sreeganga S, Ramaprasad A. Access to Healthcare during COVID-19. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18:2980.

Bozkurt İ. The new trend in psychological support practices: Online therapies Psikolojik yardım uygulamalarında yeni trend: Online terapiler. J Hum Sci. 2013;10:130-46.

Hatice A. Web Tabanlı Psikolojik Destek Uygulamaları Üzerine Minör Bir Değerlendirme: Avantajlar-Sınırlılıklar. Uluslararası Anadolu Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 2022;6:414-23.

Kim J-W, Stewart R, Kang S-J, Jung S-I, Kim S-W, Kim J-M. Telephone based interventions for psychological problems in hospital isolated patients with COVID-19. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2020;18:616.

Hiçdurmaz D, Üzar-Özçetin YS. COVID-19 pandemisinde ön safta çalışan hemşirelerin ruhsal sağlığının korunması ve ruhsal travmanın önlenmesi. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Fakültesi Dergisi. 2020;7:1-7.

Emel G, Turhan Z, Tanhan A. Koronavirus salgın sürecinde ve afet dönemlerinde psikolojik destek hizmeti: aile-odaklı psikolojik müdahale programı. Avrasya Sosyal ve Ekonomi Araştırmaları Dergisi. 2021;8:203-22.

WHO. Telemedicine: opportunities and developments in member states. Report on the second global survey on eHealth: World Health Organization; 2010.

Fortney JC, Pyne JM, Edlund MJ, Williams DK, Robinson DE, Mittal D, et al. A randomized trial of telemedicine-based collaborative care for depression. J Gen Intern Med. 2007;22:1086-93.

Emiroğlu Şavlı P, Yıldız L. "Pandemi Döneminde İstanbul’da Yürütülen Birinci Basamak Psikososyal Destek Çalışmalarının Değerlendirilmesi". 6. Uluslararası, 24. Ulusal Halk Sağlığı Kongresi: 1-4 Aralık 2022/Antalya: Bildiriler (s 361-362).

Xie Y, Xu E, Al-Aly Z. Risks of mental health outcomes in people with COVID-19: cohort study. BMJ. 2022;376:e068993.

Mazza MG, De Lorenzo R, Conte C, Poletti S, Vai B, Bollettini I, et al. Anxiety and depression in COVID-19 survivors: Role of inflammatory and clinical predictors. Brain Behav Immun. 2020;89:594-600.

Sezerol MA, Taşçı Y. "Pandemi Döneminde Sunulan Psikososyal Destek Hizmetlerinin Değerlendirilmesi". 2 Uluslararası Gazi Sağlık Bilimleri Kongresi: 15-17 Aralık 2022/Çevrimiçi Kongre.

Wenham C, Smith J, Davies SE, Feng H, Grépin KA, Harman S, et al. Women are most affected by pandemics—lessons from past outbreaks. Nature 2020; 583:194-198.

Santomauro DF, Herrera AMM, Shadid J, Zheng P, Ashbaugh C, Pigott DM, et al. Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet. 2021;398:1700-12.

Piquero AR, Jennings WG, Jemison E, Kaukinen C, Knaul FM. Domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic-Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Crim Justice. 2021;74:101806.

Goularte JF, Serafim SD, Colombo R, Hogg B, Caldieraro MA, Rosa AR. COVID-19 and mental health in Brazil: Psychiatric symptoms in the general population. J Psychiatr Res. 2021;132:32-7.

Lei L, Huang X, Zhang S, Yang J, Yang L, Xu M. Comparison of prevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depression among people affected by versus people unaffected by quarantine during the COVID-19 epidemic in Southwestern China. Med Sci Monit. 2020;26:e924609-1.

Chudasama YV, Gillies CL, Zaccardi F, Coles B, Davies MJ, Seidu S, et al. Impact of COVID-19 on routine care for chronic diseases: a global survey of views from healthcare professionals. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020;14:965-7.

Kendzerska T, Zhu DT, Gershon AS, Edwards JD, Peixoto C, Robillard R, et al. The effects of the health system response to the COVID-19 pandemic on chronic disease management: a narrative review. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021;14:575.

Tadesse E. Antenatal care service utilization of pregnant women attending antenatal care in public hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Int J Women's Health. 2020;12:1181.

Holm ME, Sainio P, Parikka S, Koskinen S. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial well-being of people with disabilities. Disabil Health J. 2022;15:101224.