Millions of people witnessing early, repeated media coverage of wars are at heightened risk of developing mental health conditions. However, most literature available on the field is based on measures with unverified psychometric qualities. This study aimed to design and validate a new self-report scale to measure the extent of exposure to media content related to war, the War-related Media Exposure Scale (WarMES).

A cross-sectional study based on 2635 community adults (73.1% females, mean age of 23.98 ± 7.55 years) from 5 countries (Tunisia, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Oman). To verify the factor structure, we carried out an Exploratory Factor Analysis in a first subsample (N = 859) then a Confirmatory Factor Analysis on the remaining subsample (N = 1777) using SPSS AMOS.

Based on an initial pool of 18 items, results showed that a 9-item one-factor model fits the data well. Support for internal consistency was provided by a Cronbach’s α = 0.96. The factor structure was equivalent across sex and country groups. Evidence for concurrent validity was provided by demonstrating that WarMES scores positively correlated with stress and depression.

Findings suggest that the WarMES is valid, reliable and allows to accurately measure the amount of time spent viewing war-content on media.

Functional impairment in daily activities, such as work and socializing, is part of the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder and most anxiety disorders. Despite evidence that symptom severity and functional impairment are partially distinct, functional impairment is often overlooked. To assess whether functional impairment captures diagnostically relevant genetic liability beyond that of symptoms, we aimed to estimate the heritability of, and genetic correlations between, key measures of current depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and functional impairment.

In 17,130 individuals with lifetime depression or anxiety from the Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (GLAD) Study, we analyzed total scores from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (depression symptoms), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (anxiety symptoms), and Work and Social Adjustment Scale (functional impairment). Genome-wide association analyses were performed with REGENIE. Heritability was estimated using GCTA-GREML and genetic correlations with bivariate-GREML.

The phenotypic correlations were moderate across the three measures (Pearson’s r = 0.50–0.69). All three scales were found to be under low but significant genetic influence (single-nucleotide polymorphism-based heritability [h2SNP] = 0.11–0.19) with high genetic correlations between them (rg = 0.79–0.87).

Among individuals with lifetime depression or anxiety from the GLAD Study, the genetic variants that underlie symptom severity largely overlap with those influencing functional impairment. This suggests that self-reported functional impairment, while clinically relevant for diagnosis and treatment outcomes, does not reflect substantial additional genetic liability beyond that captured by symptom-based measures of depression or anxiety.

Work stress levels rose among health and educational workforces during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can affect employee well-being and organisational efficiency.

To explore the association of work stress with mental health, including suicidal ideation and physical health, as well as presenteeism, as aspects of organisational efficiency in UK healthcare and university workers.

A total of 328 UK participants completed self-report questionnaires between April 2022 and September 2023 in the context of the European Platform to Promote Wellbeing and Health in the Workplace (EMPOWER) study. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted.

Two hundred and ninety-two (90%) employees reported work-related stress (Mini-Psychosocial Stressors at Work Scale). Depressive, anxiety and somatic symptoms were reported (61, 55 and 75%, respectively); 11% of the participants reported suicidal ideation (Patient Health Questionnaire 9) and 56% reported presenteeism (iMTA Productivity Cost Questionnaire). Psychological and somatic symptoms were worse when suicidal ideation or presenteeism was reported. Stressful work factors included having too much work to do (63%), a bad working atmosphere (28%), poor work–home balance (32%) and working hours hindering private life (35%). Spearman correlations showed significant associations between work stress and suicidal ideation (0.225), depressive (0.290), anxiety (0.299) and somatic symptoms (0.245) and presenteeism (0.311), but not with having a chronic medical condition.

Given the association between work stress, suicidal ideation and presenteeism, research should explore how psychosocial risk factors linked to work stress could be reduced for healthcare and higher education employees. The findings warrant the development of policies to address work stress, and to provide employee support for suicidal ideation and presenteeism in the work setting.

This research aimed to explore the perspectives of primary and community care providers on the challenges that hinder the delivery and uptake of personalized type 2 diabetes (T2D) care, with a focus on the integration of mental health support and care.

The day-to-day burden and demand of self-managing T2D can negatively impact quality of life and take a toll on mental health and psychological well-being. As a result, there is a need for personalized T2D self-management education and support that integrates mental health care. Despite the need for this personalized care, existing systems remain siloed, hindering access and uptake. In response, innovative, comprehensive, and collaborative models of care have been developed to address fragmentations in care. As individuals living with T2D often receive their care in primary care settings, linking mental health care to existing teams and networks in primary care settings is required. However, there is a need to understand how best to support access, adoption, and engagement with these models in these unique contexts.

A cross-sectional survey was distributed to primary and community providers of an Ontario-based smoking cessation network. Survey data were analyzed descriptively with free text responses thematically reported.

Survey respondents (n = 85) represented a broad mix of health professions across primary and community care settings. Addressing challenges to the delivery and uptake of personalized T2D care requires comprehensive strategies to address patient-, practice-, and system-level challenges. Findings from this survey identify the need to tailor these models of care to individual needs, clearly addressing mental health needs, and building strong partnership as means of enhancing accessibility and sustainability of integrated care delivery in primary care settings.

The aim of the article is to undertake the first economic analysis exploring the costs of illness (COIs) and factors affecting COIs in people living with mental disorders using individual patient-level data across five countries with different national income levels. This is done by investigating diagnosis-related and sociodemographic factors for country-specific medical and psychosocial service use in these high, lower-middle and low-income countries.

Using data from the Using Peer Support In Developing Empowering Mental Health Services (UPSIDES) study, a pragmatic randomized controlled trial, costs for medical and psychosocial services have been estimated over 6 months in 615 people with severe mental illness from Germany (n = 171), Uganda (n = 138), Tanzania (n = 110), India (n = 93) and Israel (n = 103). The primary economic analysis included (1) total COI expressed in 2021 international dollars and (2) proportional cost-type expenditures. Generalized linear regression models were also used to estimate the impact of psychiatric diagnosis, social disability, age and gender on the total COI.

Of the 615 participants (mean [SD] age 38.3 [11.2] years; 335 [54.5%] women), the total 6-month COI ranged from $311.48 [±547.47] in Tanzania to $10,493.19 [±13324.10] in Germany. High-income Germany and low-income Uganda both concentrated >70% of COIs on inpatient care. High-income Israel had the most balanced COI, with the lowest mean share (15.40%) on inpatient care, compared with community (35.12%) and primary care (33.01%). Female gender was associated with lower COI (eb = 0.215; p = 0.000) in Tanzania, while in India diagnosis of depression was associated with lower costs than schizophrenia (eb = 0.363; p = 0.017). Health of the Nation Outcome Scale scores (social disability) were not significantly associated with COIs in any country. In Tanzania, the total mean COI increased by 3.6% for every additional year of age. Compared to Germany, mean COIs were significantly lower by 90%, 99% and 86% in Uganda, Tanzania and India, respectively, and by 50% in Israel, although this difference was not significant.

National income is correlated with the total COI in people living with mental disorders but is a poor predictor of the sector-specific distribution of these expenditures.

This preliminary longitudinal web-based study examines the progression of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among individuals affected by severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The aim is to provide data that can inform early interventions and future research on mental health following disasters.

Sixty-four participants were assessed during the flood (T1) and 1 month later (T2). Evaluations included sociodemographic data, trauma exposure, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, acute stress disorder (ASD), and PTSD.

Depression and anxiety symptoms remained relatively stable between T1 and T2, while posttraumatic symptoms increased significantly, particularly re-experiencing and avoidance. This progression suggests a shift from initial hyperarousal to more entrenched symptoms of reliving trauma and avoidance, indicating that the long-term effects of trauma may be more closely tied to PTSD. Additionally, trauma exposure and specific ASD symptoms predicted PTSD severity at T2.

The results suggest a time-dependent progression of PTSD symptoms, with initial hyperarousal giving way to re-experiencing and avoidance, which are central to PTSD. Early psychoeducational interventions targeting re-experiencing symptoms and avoidance may help reduce PTSD severity. Further research in larger, more diverse samples is needed to assess generalizability.

The objectives of this study were to study the psychometric properties of the Implementation Drivers Scale (IDS), for the mhGAP programme, both clinical and community; to test its structural validity, and to propose an instrument to accompany the implementation of the mhGAP in similar contexts. For this purpose, a cross-sectional quantitative methodology study was conducted.

Mental health programmes proposed in low- and middle-income countries to address gaps in care have implementation problems.

A cross-sectional quantitative methodology study was conducted. During 2022 and 2023, the instrument was administered to 204 individuals, including primary care professionals (50%), national administrative leaders (19.11%), and community strategy leaders. Three departments of Colombia participated, two with low levels of implementation in mental health programmes and one with high levels of implementation of programmes and services.

The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin factor analysis resulted in 0.861, which indicated the suitability of the data for a factor analysis. Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity had a value of 2480.907 (153 degrees of freedom, p <.001). The exploratory factor analysis explained variance of 66.781%. The four factors proposed in the AIF model (System enablers for implementation, Accessibility of the strategy, Adaptability and acceptability, and Strategy training and supervision) were confirmed, with all items with loadings greater than 0.4. For the entire instrument, a Cronbach’s alpha was 0.907. The IDS could contribute to the monitoring of some components of mhGAP implementation, both clinical and community-based, in low- and middle-income settings through appropriate validation processes.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictive measures affected the mental health and well-being of individuals globally. We assessed non-modifiable and modifiable factors associated with the change in well-being and mental health from pre- to during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa.

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from 26-April-2020 to 22-April-2021. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to assess change in well-being (measured on The World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5)) and mental health (a validated composite psychopathology p-score). Sociodemographic, environmental, clinical and behavioral factors associated with change in outcomes were examined.

The sample comprised of 1866 adults (M age=44.26±17.36 years, female=78.9%). Results indicated a significant decrease in well-being (p<0.001) and increase in p-score (p<0.001) from pre- to during the pandemic. Having a prior mental health condition was associated with a worsening well-being score, while being female was associated with a worsening p-score. Being of Black African descent was associated with improved p-score and higher socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with improved well-being. Factors associated with worsening of both well-being and the p-score included adulthood adversity, financial loss since COVID-19, and placing greater importance on direct contact/interactions and substance use as coping strategies. Higher education level and endorsing studying/learning something new as a very important coping strategy were associated with improved well-being and p-score.

Findings inform the need for targeted interventions to reduce and prevent adverse well-being and mental health outcomes during a pandemic, especially among vulnerable groups.