June 24, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
As the world grapples to come to terms with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of mask wearing across the United States and around the world is highly variable.
Now a study from MIT has found that a public feeling of “collectivism” predicts whether or not mask use is common.
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May 31, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
COVID-19 has had a significant mental health impact on both residents and staff members in aged care facilities.
Research published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found those working or residing in aged care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic are experiencing high levels of stress and negative mental health impacts.
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April 23, 2021
by Tina Arnoldi
A study by the Medical Journal of Australia found that wearing pajamas when working from home may lead to poorer mental health. Researchers reported that “more participants who wore pyjamas during the day at least one day a week reported that their mental health had declined while working from home.”
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March 30, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
Just over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the US, parents are reporting worsening mental health in their teenagers.
The CS Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at Michigan Medicine found that almost half of parents have noticed a worsening or new mental health condition in their teenagers since the start of the pandemic. Three in four say the pandemic has negatively impacted the social interactions of their teens.
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March 16, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
Time spent outside and nature-based activities could counteract some of the negative mental health impacts of COVID-19 on adolescents.
Researchers from North Carolina State University found that outdoor based activities helped teens cope with major stressors, and restricting such opportunities could have negative mental health implications.
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March 12, 2021
by Tina Arnoldi
A study found that fans of horror films “exhibit less psychological distress during COVID-19.” The hypothesis is those films simulate actual experiences which help with coping skills." I invited mental health experts and movie buffs to weigh in on whether this makes sense or is a stretch.
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March 9, 2021
by Patricia Tomasi
Understanding how the pandemic and the lockdown is affecting the mental well-being of people is crucial for researchers and scientists to understand as well as government and health care practitioners. A new study published in PLOS ONE Journal looked at COVID-19 and mental health deterioration by ethnicity and gender in the UK, specifically looking at how the mental health of UK women and ethnic minorities are being affected by the pandemic.
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March 5, 2021
by Tina Arnoldi
One-third of people working from home during COVID-19 are concerned about their mental health, according to the results of an Aetna survey with 4,000 people. Three-quarters of employees surveyed feel their decline in mental health impacted their productivity.
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February 28, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
Mindfulness, laughter and even robotic dogs may be some of the methods to help people cope with isolation and loneliness due to social distancing during COVID-19.
Researchers from Cambridge’s School of Medicine undertook a review examining existing evidence on the different approach to curbing loneliness and isolation, and found there are options to suit everyone.
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February 26, 2021
by Tina Arnoldi
A recent Gallup study reveals a positive connection between regular church attendance and a positive self-evaluation of one’s mental health. I invited experts to give their opinions on these findings and what it is about church attendance that contributes to positive mental health.
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