Aims and Scope
Recent Articles
Fear of COVID-19 among Peruvian People Living in Disadvantaged Communities: A Cross-Sectional Study
Carlos Sotomayor-Beltran, Hernan Matta-Solis, Rosa Perez-Siguas, Eduardo Matta-Solis, Lourdes Matta-ZamudioBackground:
The COVID-19 crisis is fuelling a state of fear among the human population at global level. Especially, those living in informal settlements and slums worldwide have been profoundly impacted by this pandemic. Individuals living in these places are already leading underprivileged lives. Thus, the economic and mental health problems caused by the COVID-19 crisis have further exacerbated their living standards, which has resulted, for instance, in tragedies such as suicides.
Objective:
In this study, we have sought to identify those individuals most at risk of displaying high levels of fear of COVID-19 in an informal settlement located in the capital city of Peru.
Methods:
A questionnaire was administered to 449 inhabitants living in the Carmen Alto informal settlement. The questionnaire was made up of two parts: the first one inquired about demographic data and the second part consisted of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale.
Results:
The demographic variables of age, gender, marital status, educational level, occupation, whether a relative from the household was infected with COVID-19, and whether one of them died of this showed significant differences. It could be observed as well that the groups of females, stable workers, unemployed and those having completed a workforce education are at higher odds of displaying high levels of fear of COVID-19. As expected, the groups that had either a relative infected with COVID-19 or a relative death by this had the highest levels of fear towards the virus.
Conclusion:
The female participants are more likely to display higher levels of fear of COVID-19 due to the terrible effect that unfavorable events have on them. In the cases of the unemployed and stable workers, their proneness to show high levels of fear towards the virus is because they have lost their incomes, due to the loss of their jobs, and because of fear of infection, respectively. Hence, we hope that this work serves Peruvian (and other) health authorities to develop strategies that help individuals living in informal settlements and are in urgent need of mitigating mental health problems.
April 16, 2021
Articles
- March 26, 2021
Mediterranean Diet and its Benefits on Health and Mental Health: A Literature Review
February 16, 2021
Assessment of Extrapyramidal Symptoms Associated with Psychotropics Pharmacological Treatments, and Associated Risk Factors
February 19, 2021Implementing WHO-Quality Rights Project in Tunisia: Results of an Intervention at Razi Hospital
April 13, 2021The Malaysian Women's Experience of Care and Management of Postnatal Depression
Editor's Choice
Health Related Quality of Life in Patients with Onco-hematological Diseases
Giorgio La Nasa, Giovanni Caocci, Emanuela Morelli, Elena Massa, Antonio Farci, Laura Deiana, Elisa Pintus, Mario Scartozzi, Federica Sancassiani
Background:
HRQoL is generally conceptualized as a broad multidimensional construct that refers to patients' perceptions of the impact of disease and its treatment on their physical, psychological, and social functioning and well-being. Little is known in patients with onco-hematological cancer in comparison with the general population and other chronic diseases.
Objective:
We assessed HRQoL in patients diagnosed with haematological cancers in comparison with the general population and other chronic diseases.
Methods:
The questionnaire Short Form (SF)-12 was administered to 62 patients with onco-hematological disease and results were compared with 702 controls (184 healthy people, 37 Major Depression, 201 Multiple Sclerosis; 23 Wilson disease; 46 Carotidal Atherosclerosis; 60 Celiac disease; 151 solid tumours).
Results:
HRQoL in patients diagnosed with a haematological cancer was significantly worse in comparison with the general population (F= 43.853, p <0.00001) but similar when compared with solid tumour and other chronic diseases such as Major Depression and Carotid Atherosclerosis. In addition, HRQoL in patients diagnosed with a haematological cancer was significantly higher than that due to Celiac disease (p <0.00001) and Wilson's disease (p= 0.02), and lower than that due to Multiple Sclerosis (p= 0.032).
Conclusion:
This study confirmed that haematological cancers negatively affects overall HRQoL. The results showed an impact of haematological cancers on HRQoL that is similar to what found in patients with solid tumors, Major Depression and Carotid Atherosclerosis. Current successful therapeutic strategy achieved in the treatment of haematological cancers not only positively impact on survival rate but also could improve the overall HRQoL.
July 30, 2020
Other Post
- December 31, 2019
Attachment in Patients with Bipolar and Unipolar Depression: A Comparison with Clinical and Non-clinical Controls
February 28, 2019
Impairment of Quality of Life Associated With Lifetime Diagnosis of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Women - A National Survey in Italy
May 23, 2018
Domestic Violence as a Risk Factor for Postpartum Depression Among Ethiopian Women: Facility Based Study
February 27, 2018
Takotsubo Syndrome is Associated with Mood Disorders and Antidepressants Use, not with Anxiety and Impairment of Quality of Life Due to the Psychiatric Disorder
November 30, 2017
The Sardinian Puzzle: Concentration of Major Psychoses and Suicide in the Same Sub-Regions Across One Century
November 24, 2017
The Effects of “VelaMente?!” Project on Social Functioning of People With Severe Psychosocial Disabilities
